The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to lodge protest over continuous ceasefire violations at International Border.
MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, “MEA secretary East Anil Wadhwa had lodged a protest and conveyed our anger at the unprovoked firing by Pak troops since August 08. Particularly with regard to incidents of yesterday and in Poonch that saw systematic targeting of our civilian population.”
“On several occasions issue of ceasefire violations has been raised at DGMO level. Assurances were also received from Pakistan military authorities that firing will stop and their troops would be instructed accordingly. But, the firing have continued up until today,” said Swaroop.
“Anil Wadhwa has conveyed that the Pakistan government needed to take steps to ensure that its military does not undermine peace and tranquility along international boundary and the LOC.”
Also addressing the media, Basit passed the blame on India, stating, “We are concerned about ceasefire violations. In the months of July and August there have been close to 70 ceasefire violations from this side of the LoC and the working boundary. We are obviously concerned about it.”
“Our side would like to have a more effective mechanism in place as to determine who indulges in these unprovoked firing,” Basit said.
With a 10-year old boy succumbing to his injuries overnight, the toll in Pakistan shelling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district rose to five on Sunday.
“10-year-old boy identified as Moin Khan succumbed to injuries late Saturday. With this, the toll in shelling over civilians in Balakote sector of the Poonch district has risen to five,” a senior police official said.
“Four injured are still being treated in Government Medical College Hospital here. Doctors have described the condition of two as critical.”
A shell fired towards civilians by Pakistan Army on Saturday hit a car in Balakote sector, killing three people.
Many civilians gathered at the site where the car was hit, when they were hit by a second shell fired from Pakistan, injuring more than 20 of them.
