Pakistan summons Indian envoy over 'unprovoked' firing along LoC

Islamabad: India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh was summoned for the second straight day on Thursday to Pakistan's foreign Office over the "unprovoked firing" by Indian troops along the Line of Control. 

Mohammad Faisal, acting director general, South Asia & SAARC, summoned Singh and condemned the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian forces along the LoC on March 1 in the Bhimber/Samahini sectors. 

The firing killed a civilian and injured his wife and son, the foreign office said, adding that Indian troops were using "heavy mortars", the foreign office said in a release.  

Faisal also accused India of indulging in ceasefire violations which were a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation. 

In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 415 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the killing of 20 civilians and injuries to 71 others, it said.  

Faisal said India should "respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement; investigate incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct its forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary." 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, said the release. 

India maintains that UNMOGIP has become irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the establishment of the Line of Control.