Islamabad, 23 August 2023 (TDI): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Indian Charge d’Affaires today to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the killing of 60-year-old civilian Ghias by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kotli district.
The incident occurred on August 21 in the Nikial sector of the LoC. Pakistan emphasized that such acts violate the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding between the two countries which was reaffirmed in February 2021.
Pakistan stressed that Indian forces must exercise maximum restraint as targeting innocent civilians goes against human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.
The Indian diplomat was urged to investigate the incident thoroughly and respect the Ceasefire Understanding.
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In response to the event, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) declared that the evident aggressive actions taken by India constituted a breach of the standing agreements for a ceasefire.
While Pakistan remains committed to achieving calm and serenity along the Line of Control (LoC), it remains resolute in adopting any essential actions required to safeguard the well-being and possessions of its populace, in the face of any potential reckless actions initiated by India.
Violation of LoC by India
The Line of Control (LoC) divides Pakistan and India in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region. Despite ceasefire agreements, the area has consistently remained tense.
India frequently violates the ceasefire, undertaking unprovoked firing across the LoC that has resulted in civilian casualties on the Pakistani side.
In June 2023, the firing by the Indian army resulted in the deaths of two civilians and the injury of another in AJK’s Sattwal sector.
Moreover, in May, Indian firing killed 65-year-old Parveen Fatima in the Pandu sector as she was collecting plants. These incidents violate the 2003 ceasefire understanding recommitted to by both sides in February 2021.
Ratcheting up tensions, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh threatened in July 2023 that India could cross the LoC if provoked to safeguard its interests. Pakistan strongly condemned this rhetoric as destabilizing for regional peace.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch counselled India to exercise utmost caution and stop such provocative statements. She asserted that Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself against any aggression.