Pak summons Indian envoy 6th time over ceasefire violations

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: India protested to Pakistan on Wednesday over the unprovoked firing from across the border to give cover to infiltrators when its deputy high commissioner was summoned for the sixth time in over two weeks against alleged “unprovoked ceasefire violations” on the LoC.

The Foreign Office (FO) said that director general (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian deputy high commissioner JP Singh to “strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors”.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides causing injuries to seven others.

On his part, Singh protested against the unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers, saying that it was primarily to give cover to infiltrators.

He also said casualties on the Indian side include both civilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

The FO said that the director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians, and maintain peace on the LoC.

It claimed that so far, this year, India had committed 222 ceasefire violations of which 184 were on the LoC and 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in the killings of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others.