ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri summoned the Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Thursday to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rakhchikri Sector on April 29, 2020, resulting in shahadats and serious injuries to innocent civilians.
The Indian indiscriminate and unprovoked firing in Kirni village left two innocent female civilians 16-year-old Zobia Bibi and 52-year-old Rasheeda Bibi martyred while two civilians 10-year-old Faizan Hassan and 55-year-old Roshna Bibi sustained serious injuries.
In 2020, alone India has committed 919 ceasefire violations and deliberately targeted innocent civilians living close to the LoC in Azad Jammu & Kashmir with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons.
Condemning the targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, the director general (SA & SAARC) underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding.
The widespread disregard by India for international human rights and international norms are further vitiating the tense environment, and are posing a serious threat to regional peace and security.
Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the Working Boundary, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
The DG (SA & SAARC) called upon the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary.
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.
