ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned the continuing ceasefire violations by India in clear violation of international law, the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding and against humanitarian norms and professional military conduct.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri at a weekly press briefing mentioned the incident where Indian occupation forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir resorted to unprovoked firing in Chirikot Sector of the Line of Control, this morning.

The Spokesperson said the Indian troops specifically targeted a United Nations vehicle, carrying two officers of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

The officers were on their way to Polas village to meet with the victims of the Indian Ceasefire Violations. The UN vehicle was damaged, however the officers remained safe.

The FO Spokesperson said the officers were immediately evacuated by Pakistan Army and brought back to the UNMOGIP field station in Rawalakot.

“The reprehensible act of unprovoked firing by India on the UNMOGIP officers is indicative of a new low in the conduct of Indian occupation troops,” he said. He said this year alone, India had committed 2,992 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 27 martyrdoms and serious injuries to 249 innocent civilians, including 92 women and 68 children.

The Spokesperson said Pakistan called upon India to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB).

“Pakistan also urges India to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions,” he said.

The Spokesperson said Pakistan had information from credible sources that India was planning to undertake a military misadventure or so-called surgical strike across the LoC and international border, for which it was trying to seek understanding from major powers.

He said a series of events and developments had exposed the real face of India to the world community. He recalled that the recently released dossier by Pakistan had left no doubt about Indian state-sponsorship of terrorism.

He said Pakistan’s Armed Forces were fully prepared to defeat Indian designs. “Any miscalculation will result in global embarrassment for India, as it faced in 2019,” he warned. He said any ill-considered misadventure by India would face an “assured notch-up military response from Pakistan”.

The Spokesperson said such a scenario would, however, seriously destabilize the region with catastrophic consequences, the fact also been shared with important world capitals.

Zahid Chaudhri said any military conflict between Pakistan and India wouls also seriously undermine the peace prospects in Afghanistan, for which the entire responsibility would rest with India.

He said Pakistan urged the international community to advise India against any irresponsible act and to desist from any action that would jeopardize regional peace and stability. NNI