Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia and condemned the alleged "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian troops across the Line of Control which killed a civilian. Mohammad Faisal, Director General (South Asia and SAARC) and Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson, summoned Ahluwalia to condemn "the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian forces on August 13 in Hot Spring Sector in which a 38-year-old man of Laychayal village was killed, the Foreign Office said.
"The Indian forces along the LoC and Working boundary have continuously been targeting civilian-populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars, and automatic weapons, which still continues," Faisal said. He said this unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India had been continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations.
He said the deliberate targeting of civilian-populated areas was deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws, the Foreign Office (FO) said. Faisal said the ceasefire violations by India were a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation. He said the Indian side should permit United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
India has maintained that the UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control (LoC). Faisal asked the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement, investigate these and other incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary, the FO said.
By Sajjad Hussain/PTI
