Pakistan on Saturday summoned Indian Chargé d’Affaires to Foreign Office for registering strong protest at the deliberate targeting of observers belonging to the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) by the Indian troops.
On Friday, the United Nations (UN) observers were on their way to Polas village in Azad Jammu and Kashmir to meet the victims of the Indian ceasefire violations in the Chirikot Sector of the Line of Control (LOC).
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“Both the Observers present in the vehicle thankfully remained unharmed and were safely rescued and evacuated to Rawalakot by the Pakistan Army. However, their vehicle sustained damage,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.
He said the attack was unambiguously premeditated as the UN vehicles were clearly recognizable even from long distances due to their distinctive marking and blue flag.
He said the deliberate targeting of a UN vehicle, engaged in discharging the mandate of the UN Security Council, constituted a grave violation of India’s obligations, under the Council’s resolutions and the UN Charter, which included the obligation to ensure the safety and security of the UNMOGIP Observers.
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“It appears to be a new coercive and reckless Indian ploy to hinder the observers’ work,” the spokesperson remarked.
He said it was communicated to the Indian side that the brazen act was a flagrant violation of established international norms and represented a complete disregard for principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
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t was also conveyed that the reprehensible act also represented a new low in the conduct of Indian occupation forces which target not only innocent civilians residing along the Line of Control but United Nations’ observers as well.
The Indian side was called upon to desist from such blatant violations of international law; respect the 2003 ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan, and let the UNMOGIP perform its role mandated by the UN Security Council.
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Courtesy: APP