Pakistan on Thursday summoned Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale and lodged a protest against alleged ceasefire violations in the Charwa Sector on the working boundary on the Sialkot sector.
"Acting Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed summoned the Indian High Commissioner and strongly condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces in Charwa Sector, Bini Sulariyan Village on 21 September 2017, resulting in the shahadat [martyrdom] of 6 civilians, including 4 females, and injuries to 26 others, including 15 females and 5 children. Many of the affected are seriously injured and the casualties are likely to rise," a Foreign Office statement said.
Despite calls for restraint, the Foreign Office alleged, India continued to indulge in ceasefire violations. "In 2017 to date, Indian forces have carried out more than 870 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the shahadat of 38 innocent civilians and injuries to 142, as compared to 382 ceasefire violations in 2016," it stated, adding that the deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws.
The Acting Foreign Secretary urged 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 Working Boundary. He said the Indian side should permit the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the Security Council resolutions.
