RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Army on Thursday strongly rejected Indian claims of targeting civilian population across Line of Control in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK).
In a pres statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the accusation was made by the Indian DGMO during a special hotline contact with Pakistani DGMO on the Indian Army’s request.
The “Pakistan Army is a professional force and considers it absolutely unethical to target the civil population, more so when our own Pakistani Kashmiris live across”, it said.
The ISPR director general said that the Pakistan Army “targets only those Indian posts which initiate firing on innocent civilians”.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner on Thursday and lodged strong protest with him over unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces in Nikial and Nezapir sectors along the Line of Control.
He was told that deliberate targeting of civilians is deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.
The Foreign Office urged India to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate ceasefire violations and instruct its forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC.
Radio Pakistan’s correspondent said that despite calls for restraint by Pakistan, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. It carried out 594 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary this year.
Published in Daily Times, July 21st, 2017.
