ISLAMABAD: Director General (SA & SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal Friday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Battal Sector on Thursday. According to a Foreign Office announcement, the Indian occupation forces deliberately targeted a van carrying schoolchildren on Battal-Madharpur Road that left driver of van dead and schoolchildren severely traumatised. “Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations.” In 2018, Indian forces have carried out more than 335 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the martyrdom of 14 innocent civilians and injuries to 65 others. “This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1,970 ceasefire violations.” The statement said that the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas was 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, it added. The director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement, investigate ceasefire violations; instruct Indian 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 UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
Published in Daily Times, February 17th 2018.
