NEHAL MIRAJ

ISLAMABAD: A senior Indian diplomat was summoned to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on 28 April 2020, resulting in serious injuries to innocent civilians.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Rakhchikri sector, two innocent women, 45 years old Roqaya Begum, r/o Village Naban, and 60 years old Sarwar Bibi, r/o Village Kirni, sustained serious injuries.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has so far committed 913 ceasefire violations.

Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are a violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding between the two sides, and are against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security. It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.