India issues demarche to Pakistan strongly condemning ceasefire violations across LoC

India has issued a demarche to Pakistan on continued violation of ceasefire along the LoC and strongly condemned increased concentration of terrorists observed across the border in the vicinity of Pakistani forward posts.

The Ministry of External Affairs called in a senior official of the Pakistan High Commission yesterday and made a demarche on the continued violation of ceasefire along the Line of Control, the ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said today.

This is the third such demarche this month.
“We conveyed that despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed twelve ceasefire violations between 9 and 15 November, 2016 during which Pakistan Army deliberately resorted to calibre escalation by employing artillery and 120 millimetre heavy mortars against Indian posts.

“These violent acts constitute a clear violation of the Ceasefire Agreement of 2003,” Sawrup said. A counsellor rank officer from the Pakistan High Commission was called in.

India has also conveyed its strong condemnation of the “increase in concentration of terrorists observed across the Line of Control in the vicinity of Pakistani forward posts.  During the last week alone, there have been 18 instances when terrorists attempted to infiltrate into the Indian side from the vicinity of Pakistani posts and also targeted Indian posts and patrols,” the spokesperson said.

Government has also protested the “deliberate” targeting by the Pakistan Army of 14 villages along the LoC during nine to 15 November, 2016 which has resulted in four fatal and 25 non-fatal casualties, besides extensive damage to public and private property and displacement of civilian population, he said.

India also reiterated the concerns of the government about the safety and well-being of Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan, who inadvertently crossed the LoC over six weeks back, and sought his early and safe repatriation.