India martyrs an elderly across LoC

ISLAMABAD: South Asia and south Asian association for regional cooperation (SA/ SAARC) acting director summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner J.P. Singh on Thursday and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations (CFVs) by the Indian occupation forces along the line of control (LoC), using heavy automatic weapons and rockets, in Kotli, Jandrot and Chirikot sectors, resulting in the martyrdom of a 70 years old elderly innocent civilian Muhammad Nazir son of (s/o) Mangta resident of (r/o) Dhri village, while also injuring a female Shamim Akhtar wife of (w/o) Muhammad.

According to an official statement, despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in CFVs. In 2018, the Indian forces carried out more than 400 CFVs along the LoC and the working boundary (WB), resulting in the martyrdom of 19 innocent civilians and injuries to 69 others.

This unprecedented escalation in CFVs by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 CFVs.

The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.

The CFVs by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.

The SA/SAARC acting director general urged Singh 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 the WB.

He urged that the Indian side should permit united nations military observer group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the united nations security council resolutions.