Pakistan summoned India's top diplomat in Islamabad on Monday morning after the two countries exchanged heavy fire across the border on Sunday. Pakistan claimed that Indian troops have targeted civilians and resorted to unprovoked firing at the LoC - the de facto border between the two nuclear armed nations.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Director General Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to condemn "ceasefire violations by India” at the border.
“Ceasefire Violations by India on 28 and 29 September 2019 resulting in the killing of two civilians while injuring another two...This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations," the ministry said.
The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws, the ministry added.
“The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation,” the Pakistan foreign ministry warned while urging India to “instruct its forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.”
Earlier on Sunday, the Indian Army claimed that Pakistan Army breached the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Mendhar and Balakot sectors of the Mendhar subdivision in Poonch district. Six people including a 12 year-old boy were injured in the firing, an official said.
The two nuclear-armed nations have been engaged in several skirmishes along the boundary recently, with both Pakistan and India blaming each other for ceasefire violations.
The Kashmir issue dates back to 1947 when both countries became independent from Britain with both claiming Kashmir as their own.
