Pak summons Indian diplomat over boy’s death in cross-border firing

Islamabad, February 20

Pakistan on Tuesday summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh here to condemn the “unprovoked firing” by Indian troops across the Line of Control which killed an 8-year-old boy.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry claimed that the boy, Ayan Zahid, was killed after Indian troops opened fire on Monday in Khuiratta sector in the PoK.

Pakistan Army on Monday claimed that at least two Indian soldiers were killed when it destroyed an army post that was used to kill the minor across the Line of Control, a claim rejected by the Indian Army as “baseless”.

Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and “condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations” by Indian forces, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

“The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas, especially children, is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws,” Faisal said.

He alleged that India committed more than 335 ceasefire violations along the LoC and the Working Boundary in 2018, resulting in the deaths of 15 civilians and injuries to 65 others.

“This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1970 ceasefire violations,” he said.

Faisal said the ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and might lead to a strategic miscalculation.

Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement and investigate the repeated incidents of ceasefire violations, the statement said.

He also urged the Indian side to allow the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

India maintains that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control. PTI