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Published 21 Jan, 2018 03:13pm

Pakistan lodges protest with India over civilian casualties in cross-border firing

The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to lodge a protest against casualties resulting from a ceasefire violation by Indian forces.

A day earlier, six Pakistani citizens were killed and another 25 were injured in incidents of 'unprovoked firing' across the Working Boundary in Sialkot and the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir's Nakiyal sector by Indian troops.

The FO condemned the ceasefire violations by the Indian troops.

"The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and against human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws," a statement issued by the FO said.

"The repeated ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation," the statement added.

Yesterday's ceasefire violation came days after two women were killed and five people injured in cross-border firing along the Working Boundary in Sialkot's Chaprar sector.

According to the Foreign Office, Indian forces have committed more than 70 ceasefire violations along the LoC and Working Boundary in 2018, in which at least nine civilians and four soldiers have lost their lives, and 10 people have been injured.

Ceasefire violations are a frequent feature along the LoC and Working Boundary despite the leadership of Pakistan Rangers and India's Border Security Forces agreeing in November 2017 that the "spirit" of the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement must be revived to protect innocent lives.

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