Pakistan on Friday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh to condemn the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian forces along the International Border in Sialkot Sector, that left one civilian dead and injured nine others.
A 24-year-old man Irfan, resident of village Harpal, was killed while the injured included women and elderly persons, a Foreign Office statement said.
Director General (SA & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal conveyed to Singh that the Indian forces were "continuously engaged in indiscriminate and unprovoked firing with heavy mortars and automatic weapons on the civilian populated villages, since the last two days".
In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 125 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the International Border in just 19 days, resulting in the death of four civilians, and injuries to 20 others, the Foreign Office statement said.
It said: "This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1,900 ceasefire violations."
It deplored the "deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas" which it said was "contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws".
"The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation", the statement said.
However, India, maintaining that Pakistan was continuing violation of the ceasefire along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, said a Border Security Force (BSF) trooper and two civilians were killed and three others injured in indiscriminate firing and shelling by Pakistan Rangers on the international border in J&K.
"You are aware that Pakistan violates the ceasefire as a cover to infiltrate terrorists across the border into India. We, of course, retaliate in such cases and we also take up the matter at the appropriate level with the Pakistani side." External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a media briefing in New Delhi.
"We strongly condemn the continued and unprecedented ceasefire violation by Pakistan, which has caused loss of lives and property," spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
Pakistan Rangers indulged in indiscriminate shelling and firing at 20 border outposts of the BSF along the international border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts on Friday, official reports received in Delhi said.
--IANS
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