ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday summoned Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia over unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).
A statement issued by the Foreign Office said Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Ahluwalia and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the LoC on Oct 1 wherein a 50-year-old woman was martyred while three civilians sustained injuries.
“The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and working boundary have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars, and automatic weapons, which still continues,” said the press release.
“The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights, and humanitarian laws.”
Underscoring that the ceasefire violations were a threat to regional peace, the foreign ministry spokesperson warned of a strategic miscalculation in the region.
Faisal also urged New Delhi to honour the 2003 ceasefire arrangement between the two nuclear-armed nations.
He further called on India to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
Tensions between the neighbors escalated quickly following New Delhi’s move to revoke the semi-autonomous status of occupied Kashmir on Aug 5 and impose a strict curfew that will enter its second month on Saturday (Oct 5).
Following the move, Pakistan expelled Indian Ambassador Ajay Bisaria, suspended bilateral trade and launched an aggressive diplomatic campaign in an attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue.
In its response, India has maintained that revocation of Article 370 is an internal matter that will allow the occupied valley to “develop economically”.