The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday lodged a protest with India and urged New Delhi to investigate civilian casualties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) due to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) a day earlier.

Indian troops heavily shelled different areas of AJK from across the LoC on Saturday, leaving at least five civilians dead and 10 others wounded. The bloodbath coincided with the first death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen’s young militant commander Burhan Wani.

Director General (DG) of South Asia and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations.

"Indian attempts to deflect international attention from the worsening situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir due to its repressive measures by heating up the LoC shall fail," an FO press release stated.

Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement in letter and spirit, investigate the incident and maintain peace along the border.

The FO in its statement categorically rejected what it said were "the standard Indian allegations of infiltration across the LoC".

DG Faisal asserted that Pakistan has "consistently maintained that it was essential that the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) should be allowed to play its role as mandated by the UN Security Council resolutions."

"The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws," the FO added.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.