New Delhi has refused to accept the allegations of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundry (WB) levelled by Islamabad; instead, the India's foreign minister accused Pakistan of incursion along the LoC, DawnNews reported.

The Foreign Office on Saturday confirmed to have received a letter from India's Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, which she reportedly wrote in response to the letter written by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif.

Asif had last month written to his Indian counterpart about ceasefire violations along the LoC and WB allegedly committed by India.

In his letter, the foreign minister had called for political intervention for de-escalating tensions on the LoC which have resulted in numerous casualties.

His contention was that since the agreed mechanisms of DGMOs’ (director generals of military operations) hotline and border meetings were not working, the situation warranted a political initiative for restoring peace along the LoC and WB.

On Saturday, FO spokesperson Dr Faisal alleged that the Indian side had once again shown a stubborn response.

"India only opens fire in response to the incursion," Swaraj wrote in the letter.

The FO spokesperson clarified that India had been asked several times to allow UNMOGIP to monitor the ceasefire violation allegations but India never allowed the observers to work with full freedom on the Indian side.

India has breached the ceasefire agreement on more than 1,300 occasions since the start of this year, he said, adding that 52 civilians have lost their lives, while 175 have been injured.

The toll of violations has reached a top in last one and half decades, he added.

Opinion

Editorial

Wheat price crash
Updated 20 May, 2024

Wheat price crash

What the government has done to Punjab’s smallholder wheat growers by staying out of the market amid crashing prices is deplorable.
Afghan corruption
20 May, 2024

Afghan corruption

AMONGST the reasons that the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul in August 2021 without any resistance to speak of ...
Volleyball triumph
20 May, 2024

Volleyball triumph

IN the last week, while Pakistan’s cricket team savoured a come-from-behind T20 series victory against Ireland,...
Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.