Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over firing killing of civilians

By:Xinhua
update:February 06,2018

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 6, 2018 -- Pakistan on Monday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh and lodged formal protest over the recent ceasefire violations, resulting in the killing of two civilians and injuring seven others.

The foreign ministry said Indian troops resorted to the unprovoked ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in disputed Kashmir region on Sunday in Nezapir, Nikial and Karela Sectors, resulting in the killing of two innocent civilians while injuring seven others, including two children.

Director General at the South Asian Desk at the Foreign Ministry Mohammad Faisal summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner and condemned the cross-LoC shelling.

"The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working boundary are continuously targeting the civilian populated areas with heavy mortars and automatic weapons," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 190 ceasefire violations along LoC and the Working Boundary to date, resulting in the deaths of 13 innocent civilians, while injuring 65 others, according to the latest data of the Foreign Ministry.

It said the "unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India" is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations.

The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws, the statement said, adding the ceasefire violations by India are a "threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation."

Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire so as to maintain peace and tranquility on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

He said the Indian side should permit UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

Pakistan and India had declared ceasefire in 2003 along the LoC, which divides both countries in Kashmir region. Both sides routinely accuse each other of ceasefire violation.

There has been escalation along the LoC and Working Boundary since militants attacked an army base in the Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing 19 soldiers on Sept. 18, 2016.