Pakistan HC accuses India of 70 ceasefire violations in July and August as latter protests alleged ‘unprovoked firing’ by Pak side
India on Sunday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and lodged a strong protest over alleged unabated ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the line of control (LoC) in which six Indian civilians lost their lives in two days.
Basit was summoned to the External Affairs Ministry by Secretary East Anil Wadhwa who conveyed to the envoy India’s strong protest over the “unprovoked firing” by the Pakistani troops along the LoC, sources said.
Emerging from the meeting in South Block, a defiant Basit accused India of 70 ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Boundary in the months of July and August and called for a more effective mechanism to determine who indulges in the unprovoked firing.
“We are concerned about ceasefire violations. In the months of July and August, there have been close to 70 ceasefire violations from this side of the LoC and the working boundary. We are obviously very concerned about it. Our side would like to have a more effective mechanism in place so as to determine who indulges in these unprovoked firing,” Basit, who was in the MEA for around 15 minutes, told reporters.
India alleged that six people have been killed in heavy firing and mortar bomb shelling by Pakistani troops at several Indian posts and civilian areas since yesterday.
Firing and shelling between troops has occurred on an almost daily basis for the past week along the border, after an uptick in such incidents in recent months.
Top security officials of the two countries are scheduled to meet in the Indian capital from August 23 in what Pakistan last week described as “ice breaking” talks.
After months of stalemate and recriminations, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif spoke for nearly an hour while visiting Russia in July.
