Pakistan claims two people killed in firing across LoC, summons Indian envoy JP Singh over 'ceasefire violations'

Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh over the alleged “unprovoked ceasefire violations” by Indian troops across the Line of Control which resulted in the death of two women. [caption id=“attachment_4276837” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and “condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations” by Indian forces, the Foreign Office said. Faisal alleged that the Indian forces fired across the Working Boundary on 18 January in Sialkot Sector, killing two women — 45-year-old Perveen Bibi and 20-year-old Ayesha and injuring five civilians. “The Indian forces along the Working Boundary started indiscriminate and unprovoked firing with heavy mortars and automatic weapons since last night on the civilian populated villages in Sialkot,” Faisal said. “Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations,” he claimed. He said in 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 110 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary in just 18 days, resulting in the killing of three civilians, while injuring 10 others. “This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1900 ceasefire violations,” he 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.