Pakistan has told the United Nations (UN) that Indian troops launched artillery barrages last week in a "major escalation" of attacks on the Line of Control (LoC) threatening regional peace and security.
According to a report in ‘The Nation’, Pakistani Ambassador to United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has written identical letters in this regard to both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council President for November, Fodé Seck of Senegal.
Maleeha Lodhi, in her letter, has expressed serious concern over the use of artillery by Indian forces in Shahkot and Jura along LoC on November 9.
"This was the first use of such weapons in 13 years, and was a clear indication of the Indian intention to further escalate tensions and undermine regional peace and security," Maleeha Lodhi wrote in her letter.
She further added that on Sunday night, seven Pakistani soldiers were killed by Indian Army in Bhimber sector of the LoC.
"It (India) seeks to divert international attention from its continued violations of human rights in Indian Occupied Kashmir," the Pakistani envoy said in the letter which has been released as a document of the 15-member Security Council.
The Pakistani Ambassador requested the UN chief and the Security Council, "as the custodians of international peace and security", to take note of the continued ceasefire violations by India that pose a real danger to regional peace and security.
"Indian forces have been engaged in unprovoked firing and ceasefire violations on both sides of the Line of Control and the Working Boundary (WB). The frequency of these violations has increased over the last two months. Indiscriminate firing and shelling, deliberately targeting civilian populated areas, have resulted in 26 civilian casualties and injury to another 107 civilians, including women and children in the past two months,” Lodhi wrote in her letter.
"Pakistan has condemned these continued ceasefire violations which are a contravention of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, as well as of International Law.India has also continued its non-cooperative attitude and denial of access to the United Nations Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) that has been mandated to maintain peace and tranquility on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary. Pakistan, of course, fully cooperates and provides unhindered access to UNMOGIP on its side of the Line of Control and the Working Boundary," she added.
