FO summons Indian deputy high commissioner to condemn 'deplorable' ceasefire violation

Published October 2, 2019
Three civilians were injured, one woman killed in yesterday's ceasefire violation by Indian forces from across LoC. —  Reuters/File
Three civilians were injured, one woman killed in yesterday's ceasefire violation by Indian forces from across LoC. — Reuters/File

The Foreign Office on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to protest against yet another ceasefire violation by the Indian forces from across the Line of Control (LoC), in which one civilian was killed while three others were injured.

According to a press statement issued today, a 50-year-old woman, Noor Jahan, was killed on Tuesday from "indiscriminate and unprovoked firing" by the Indian forces in the Nezapir and Bagsar sectors. One woman and two men sustained injuries from the firing.

It was the second time the Indian forces violated the ceasefire agreement in the past four days. On September 29, two civilians, including a woman and a teenage boy, were killed from shelling by the Indian forces. Three other civilians were injured.

According to the press release, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal pointed out that the Indian forces had frequently been targeting civilian populated areas with "artillery fire, heavy-caliber 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," the press release read.

Dr Faisal warned that the ceasefire violations "may lead to a strategic miscalculation". He termed the "deliberate targeting of civilian-populated areas" as "deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws" and added that they were a "threat to regional peace".

The director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement. He said that the Indian side should permit the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

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