RAWALPINDI: A civilian was martyred and two children sustained gunshot wounds when Indian troops resorted to unprovoked shelling on the eve of Kashmir Solidarity Day in two districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.
According to the ISPR, Indian security forces targeted the civil population along the Line of Control (LoC) in its latest violation of ceasefire accord. “Indian forces opened unprovoked firing in Nezapir and Rawalakot sectors, targeting the civil population,” the ISPR said. In the statement, it was further said the Pakistan Army responded effectively to the Indian posts targeting the civilians.
This is the latest in a series of unabated and unprovoked breach of the ceasefire along the heavily-militarized LoC, which divides the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir between Pakistan and India. There has been a spike in ceasefire violations in the month of January, which had resulted in many casualties and injuries to many more people.
Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif last week informed the Senate that Indian troops committed over 170 ceasefire violations along the LoC and Working Boundary (WB) in January 2018. At least 11 people have been killed while 51 others injured in January alone.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Monday again summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to the Foreign Office and lodged a strong protest over the recent unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian troops at the Line of Control in Nezapir, Nakyal and Karela sectors. Two innocent civilians were martyred and seven injured. In a statement, the Foreign Office spokesperson urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement for maintenance of peace and tranquility on the LoC and the Working Boundary.
The spokesperson said the Indian forces are continuously targeting the civilian populated areas with heavy mortars and automatic weapons along the Line of Control and the working boundary. He said the Indian forces have so far carried out more than 190 ceasefire violations this year, resulting in the shahadat of 13 innocent civilians.
This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations. The spokesperson deplored the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas, terming it contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. He said the ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.
Meanwhile, Minister for Defence Production, Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain urged the international community to break silence on atrocities meted out to Kashmiris by the Indian forces and play its proactive role to provide the Kashmiris their right to self-determination. He was talking to newsmen after inaugurating several development schemes in Muridke near Sheikhupura on Monday. Rana Tanveer Hussain condemned the unprovoked aggression of Indian forces along the Line of Control and Working Boundary.
Later, addressing a public gathering, the defence production minister said that common man has full right over national resources. He said the PML-N government has diverted all resources towards the development of backward areas to improve the living standards of the people. -