Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over firing along LoC, civilian's death

Pakistan on Saturday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, alleging that Indian forces resorted to "unprovoked ceasefire violations" along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the death of a civilian.

The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said that a 65-year-old man was killed while a boy was injured in Indian firing on August 18 in Dana Sector along the LoC.

"The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons," Director General at the South Asian desk of the Foreign Ministry Mohammad Faisal, who summoned the Indian diplomat, said. Faisal also serves as spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry claimed that in 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 1,900 ceasefire violations along the LoC and the international border, resulting in the deaths of 31 innocent civilians while injuring 122 others.

"This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations," he said in a statement.

The spokesman 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," Faisal told the Indian deputy high commissioner. 

Pakistan and India had declared ceasefire in 2003, however, both accuse each other of skirmishes.

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

He urged that the Indian side should permit UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.