Pakistan summons Indian HC over ‘unprovoked ceasefire violations’

Islamabad: Pakistan’s acting foreign secretary on Friday summoned the Indian High Commissioner, Ajay Bisaria, “to condemn the unprovoked and continuing ceasefire violations” along the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary (WB), the Foreign Office said.

Four people died, including three children, while 10 were injured in ceasefire violations across the Working Boundary by India on Friday, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Officials identified the deceased as a woman, Kalsoom, and her three children — Mehwish, Safia and Hamza.

The Foreign Office said the violations, carried out with heavy weapons, took place in civilian populated areas including Pukhlian, Cahprar, Harpal, Charwah and Shakargarh sectors.

“The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws,” the Foreign Office statement said.

Pakistan considers “the ceasefire violations by India a threat to regional peace and security and [they] may lead to a strategic miscalculation.”

In 2018 alone, the Indian forces have carried out more than 1,050 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and Working Boundary, resulting in the killing of 28 civilians, while injuring 117 others, it said.

Nearly 1,970 ceasefire violations were committed by Indian forces in the year 2017.

Pakistan’s acting foreign secretary has urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement and investigate the incidents of ceasefire violations and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire and maintain peace on the LoC and the WB.

He also urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

The recent incident comes days after two-week quietness on the LoC and WB which was broken on Tuesday when a Pakistani man was shot dead by an Indian sniper in Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s Poonch district.

Pakistani and Indian troops sporadically exchange fire along the 720km LoC and 198km international border in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe a ceasefire.

The LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into Pakistan- and India-administered parts.