Pakistan summons senior Indian diplomat over civilian death

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today summoned India's Acting Deputy High Commissioner and condemned the alleged "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian troops across the Line of Control which resulted in the death of a civilian.

The Acting Director General (South Asia and SAARC) summoned the commissioner and "condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian forces yesterday in Chirikot Sector, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

The firing resulted in the killing of one civilian in Trothi village.


"The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas," Pakistan said.

In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 1100 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the killing of 29 innocent civilians, while injuring 117 others.

Pakistan said this unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017, when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations.

The FO said the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.

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

The statement asked the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

The Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions, it said.