-Armed Forces spokesman says India committed 2,333 CFVs this year leaving 18 civilians martyred, 185 injured
-States Indian Army deliberately target civilian population with heavy weapons
-Argues Pakistan always welcomes visits to AJK while India denies independent observers visits to IoK
-Diplomats extend gratitude for providing access to various sites along LoC
RAWALPINDI: Armed Forces Spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar Thursday told foreign diplomats that there had been some 2,333 Indian ceasefire violations (CFVs) and unprovoked firing incidents across the Line of Control (LOC) during 2020 leaving 18 civilians martyred, 185 injured.
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General and the Armed Forces Spokesman was briefing the delegation, including diplomats, attachés and representatives from Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Union, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Greece, Australia, Iran, Iraq, the United Kingdom, Poland, Uzbekistan, Germany, Switzerland, France, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan, as well as representatives from the United Nations World Food Program, during their visit to the LOC, according to an ISPR press release.
He said the Indian Army was deliberately targeting the civilian population with heavy weapons, which was a violation of international law whereas the Pakistan Army being a professional army only targeted the military posts.
Major General Babar said India was firing indiscriminately on the civilian population to increase provocation in an attempt to divert the global attention from the oppression in the Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
India, he added, was committing grave human rights violations in the IIOJK and had increased ceasefire violations on the LOC since 2014. The ISPR DG noted that India used cluster ammunition on innocent civilians in the Neelum Valley on July 30 and 31. International bodies, especially the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR), had highlighted Indian oppression in their various reports.
Major General Babar said the Kashmir issue needed to be resolved in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.
Pakistan, he said, had always welcomed the visit of the United Nations Military Observer Group for Pakistan and India, international media, and diplomats to any area of the LOC and provided them access to the local population to assess the ground situation themselves.
He highlighted that, on the contrary, India had never given access to anyone to visit the LOC. Even the UN military observer group was not allowed by India to visit the IIOJK or across the LOC areas. India had detained journalists and members of the international media for covering the situation in the IIOJK, he added.
The diplomats took stock of the violations of the ceasefire agreement by the Indian Army on the Line of Control. The delegation also met the victims affected due to Indian firing.
Moreover, The ambassadors, defence attachés and representatives of international organizations Thursday visited Jora Sector of the Line of Control (LoC) and extended their gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Pakistan Army for providing access to the local population and area along the LoC.
The diplomats and attaches of various countries visited the LoC to assess the Indian Army troops’ ceasefire violation damages inflicting heavy losses to local population and observe the ground realities, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release.
Turkish Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul after his visit expressed his views and said, “I will repeat what the Turkish President said in the UN General Assembly two days ago.
The Jammu and Kashmir issue is a very serious issue which should be resolved through negotiations under UN Security Council resolutions.”
He added that the Kashmir issue should be resolved according to the wishes of Kashmiris through Pakistan-India talks.
European Union Ambassador Androla Kaminara also reviewed the situation during her visit on the LoC. She said, “I not only witnessed the whole situation rather listened to the victims.”
South African High Commissioner M Madikiza thanked the ISPR for visit on the LoC. He said, “I always wanted to review the situation on the Line of Control and wanted to examine the impact of ceasefire violations on the LoC areas.”
The ambassador noted that he was grateful to meet the victims, had an interaction with them and saw the affected infrastructure, adding, “Hopefully, a solution to Kashmir issue will be found in the near future.”
Iranian Deputy Ambassador Ali Mohammad Surkhabi, on the occasion, said there were a lot [of atrocities] happening every day in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“Inshallah (By the Will of Allah), Kashmir issue will be resolved soon. We are with the Kashmiri people in every way.”–ISPR
