Pakistan: Diplomats visit Line of Control to assess situation

Islamabad: Pakistani officials on Thursday took a foreign delegation to visit the area along the de facto Pakistan-India border known as the Line of Control (LoC).

The delegation including ambassadors, diplomats, defence attachés and the representatives of various countries and international organisations visited the Jura sector in Pakistan-administered Kashmir along the LoC.

During the tour, arranged by the army’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the diplomatic community was briefed on the latest situation by ISPR Director General, Major General Babar Iftikhar.

The envoys met victims, including women and children affected by cross-border shelling, and witnessed damaged homes, shops and protection bunkers for the civilian population.

Gen Iftikhar urged the international community to take notice of violations on the border and called for the Kashmir issue to be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions.

The delegation included diplomats and representatives from these countries and organisations: Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, UK, Italy, Switzerland, France, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, South Africa, Turkey, Palestine, Greece, Iran, Kyrgyz Republic, Iraq, Poland, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, the European Union and the UN-World Food Programme.

Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said Pakistan had organised the visit to “provide first hand knowledge of the situation on ground” to the diplomatic community.

The visit comes at a time when tensions are running high at the Pakistan-India border.