Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Dr Faisal on Friday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC).
The firing by the Indian forces in Sharda, Nezapir, Satwal and Bagsar sectors on Thursday had killed a 10-year child and left 22 others injured, including seven children and four women, a Foreign Office statement said. “The indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by Indian army in Sharda Sector of LoC, one innocent child Faizan, son of Faiz Mir aged 10 years martyred and other 16 innocent civilians, including six children and two women, sustained serious injuries. In addition to that, two got injured including a woman in Nezapir, three got injured including a child and woman in Satwal Sector, and one got injured in Bagsar Sector,” the statement added.
The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working Boundary have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars, and automatic weapons. “This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations,” said the FO. “The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws,” it said, adding the ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.
The Director General (SA & SAARC) urged 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. He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement added.
