Ceasefire violation by India on 4th October 2017, strong protest lodged by Foreign Office

(2017-10-04) The Director General (SA & SAARC), Dr. Mohammad Faisal, summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner and a strong protest was lodged on the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces in Rawalakot/Chirikot Sector on 4th October 2017, resulting in the shahadat of 2 civilians (20 years old Kashif Sakhi and 17 years old Sakeena Begum, residents of village Chaffer), and injuries to 2 others, including a woman. During the past two weeks, Indian occupation forces have increasingly targeted civilian areas on the Pakistani side, resulting in the shahadats of 13 civilians, including 6 women, and injuries to 39 others, which the Director General strongly condemned. Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2017 to date, Indian occupation forces have carried out more than 900 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the Shahadats of 45 innocent civilians and injuries to 155, as compared to 382 ceasefire violations in 2016.

The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.

The Director General (SA & SAARC) urged the Indian side 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. He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

Islamabad
4 October 2017

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