Indian Deputy High Commissioner summoned to protest unprovoked casefire violations

ISLAMABAD, Jan 18 (APP):Pakistan Thursday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh to protest continued unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Working Boundary in Sialkot and other sectors.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal at the weekly press briefing here said during the first two weeks of 2018, the Indian forces had carried out over 100 ceasefire violations , resulting in the martyrdom of four Pakistani soldiers and three elderly women, and injuring around 17 others.
He said it was a continuation of the unprecedented trend of 2017 when more than 1970 ceasefire violations were carried out by the Indian forces.
Replying to a question, he said the situation on the Line of Control and Working Boundary was deteriorating with each passing day. Heavy weapons, including mortars, were frequently being used by the Indian forces on the Pakistani side of the LoC and the Working Boundary, resulting in large number of civilian and military casualties and damage to property.
Answering another question, he said Pakistan believed that terrorism was a common enemy. “We have undertaken successful military actions to root this enemy out from our territory.”
He said as reported by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), more than 43% of Afghan territory was either out of Kabul’s control or being contested. Such vast tracts of ungoverned and contested spaces had been instrumental in providing safe havens to the terrorist groups, including Daesh, and also attracted international terrorists to relocate to Afghanistan, he added.
Daesh, he said, was concentrated along Afghan borders with Pakistan, Iran, China and Central Asian Republics. It, along with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and JuA, had been involved in cross border attacks on “our military post as well as terrorist attacks in our cities,” he added.
Dr Faisal said Pakistan’s sacrifices against terrorism were recognized worldwide. Pakistan remained committed to take action against terrorists without any discrimination and the efforts to eradicate terrorism would continue, he added.
To a query, he said the purpose of the recent visit of US Ambassador Alice Wells was to find a common ground between the two sides, for which continuous communication was essential. “Pakistan’s position is also very clear and consistent. We want an early repatriation of Afghan refugees with dignity, check on the flourishing narcotics and drug trade in Afghanistan that is a major source of funding for terrorist elements, strengthening border fencing mechanisms and curb the use of Afghan soil.”