Pakistan Charge d’Affaires summoned by MEA over ceasefire violations along the LoC

Following the continuous ceasefire violations at the Line of Control (LoC), the Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission. The Indian Ministry lodged a strong protest with the Pakistani official over the death of three innocent civilians, including a child in an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces in the night of 17 July 2020 in Krishna Ghati Sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

"India condemns, in the strongest terms, the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians by Pakistan forces. This year alone, 21 Indians have been killed and 94 injured in over 2711 unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces. India also protested Pakistan’s continued support to cross border terrorist infiltration into India, including supporting cover fire provided by Pakistani forces," the MEA said in a statement. 

Furthermore, Pakistan was called upon to adhere to the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Control and the International Boundary.

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Locals stage protest

Hundreds of villagers on Saturday bid a tearful adieu to a couple and their son who were killed in heavy mortar shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. Following the Friday incident, local residents staged protests against Pakistan for frequently violating ceasefire and targeting civilian areas, they said. "Such incidents have become routine for us. How long will we tolerate this?", one of the villagers said and demanded an immediate end to cross-border shelling.

The Congress and the J&K Apni Party (JKAP) also condemned Pakistani shelling on civilian areas. They demanded adequate compensation for the affected family and necessary security measures for the safety of border residents. "The situation has further worsened with the delay in construction of community bunkers and safety sheds for people to take refuge during the inhuman acts being committed by the Pakistan army," senior NC leaders, including provincial president Devender Singh Rana, said in a joint statement here.

(Inputs from PTI)