India summons Pakistani official over border tensions

India has summoned a senior official of the Pakistan High Commission and issued a demarche on continued violation of ceasefire along the Line of Control.

New Delhi, Nov 17: India has summoned a senior official of the Pakistan High Commission and issued a demarche on continued violation of ceasefire along the Line of Control - in the third such demarche issued this month, it was announced on Thursday.

The Pakistan High Commission official was called in on Wednesday.

"We conveyed that despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 12 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," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a briefing.

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.

India has also protested the "deliberate" targeting by the Pakistan Army of 14 villages along the LoC this month, which has resulted in four fatal and 25 non-fatal casualties besides causing extensive damage to public and private property and the displacement of civilian population.

India has also voiced its concerns about the safety of Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan, who "inadvertently" crossed the LoC over a month back, and sought his early and safe repatriation.

IANS