Pak summons Indian envoy over ceasefire violation

Islamabad, April 30

Pakistan on Thursday summoned the Indian Charge d’Affaires here to lodge protest over the alleged firing by the Indian troops across the Line of Control that resulted in the killing of a Pakistani soldier and two civilians. 

Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri summoned Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia and registered “Pakistan’s strong protest over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian forces” in Rakhchikri Sector on April 29, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) said.

The Pakistan Army had claimed that a 34-year-old Pakistani soldier and two women were killed in firing allegedly by the Indian troops across the Line of Control (LoC) on April 29.

“In 2020 alone India has committed 919 ceasefire violations and deliberately targeted innocent civilians living close to the LoC in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars and automatic weapons,” the FO said.

The DG (SA & SAARC) called upon the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate it and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the working boundary, it said.

In August last year, Pakistan expelled the Indian High Commissioner and suspended bilateral trade ties with India in response to New Delhi’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. PTI