ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Three innocent civilians received critical injuries when the Indian Army troops initiated the unprovoked ceasefire violation using mortars and automatics in Nikial Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) deliberately targeting the civilian population.
The indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian forces took place in Khanni and Ooli villages on May 19, which left 18-year-old Karam Din, 20-year-old Muhammad Rizwan, and 30-year-old Hafiz Ilyas seriously injured.
Karam Din and Muhammad Rizwan were residents of Ooli village while Hafiz Ilyas belonged to the Khanni village.
In a statement, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that all injured have been evacuated and are being provided with medical care.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office summoned a senior Indian diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian forces in Nikial Sector on May 19.
The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons.
In 2020, India has so far committed 1,101 ceasefire violations.
Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also 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 Working Boundary, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
The 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 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.
