The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah and lodged a "strong protest at the death of three Indian minor children in unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan forces in the Poonch sector on 2 October 2017". According to MEA officials, the envoy was told that deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices.
"Strong concern was also expressed at continued unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces across the Line of Control and the International Boundary in violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding. 503 such violations have been carried out by Pakistan forces so far during 2017," said the MEA.
Three children were killed and eight civilians injured in cross border firing at Kerni, Digwar and Kasaba sectors on October 2. There has been disturbance over the past few days around the anniversary of India's surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, which happened on September 30 last year.
On Tuesday, three terrorists were killed at an encounter near Srinagar airport. The BSF lost one ASI in the operation.
BSF chief K.K. Sharma had earlier said Pakistan often resorted to ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir. The Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan stretches of the border remained peaceful. The recent firings follow a span of a few days of peace that was achieved after Pakistan's rangers spoke to the BSF and agreed on ceasefire. Meanwhile, the BSF had, a few days earlier, discovered a tunnel in Jammu.
