ISLAMABAD, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Tuesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh and lodged formal protest over the recent ceasefire violations, resulting in the killing of an eight-year-old boy along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region.

Director General for South Asia at the foreign ministry Mohammad Faisal condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian forces in Khuiratta sector in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Monday, the foreign ministry said.

Pakistan and India had declared ceasefire along the LoC and the Working Boundary in 2003. Both, however, routinely accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.

"Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 335 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the shahadat (martyrdom) of 15 innocent civilians and injuries to 65 others," the ministry in a statement said.

It said the unprecedented escalation in "ceasefire violations" by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1,970 ceasefire violations.

The director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.