Several injured as India continues intense firing on working boundary

RAWALPINDI: Intense and heavy exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces has been continuing since Wednesday evening in the Harpar and Chaprar sectors along the Working Boundary.

On the Pakistani side, several civilians were injured due to unprovoked Indian firing, an ISPR press release said on Thursday.Heavy and intense exchange of firing has been continuing between Indian and Pakistani troops for the last over 11 hours on the Working Boundary.

Pakistani Rangers befittingly responded to unprovoked firing and targeted Indian posts, inflicting heavy casualties.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, while strongly condemning the recent unprovoked ceasefire violations on the Working Boundary and LoC by Indian forces on Thursday, said that Pakistan’s quest for peace and our restraint must not be misconstrued as a sign of weakness.

“I strongly condemn the recent unprovoked ceasefire violations on 25-26 October 2016 by the Indian forces at the Working Boundary in Chaprar and Harpal sectors and on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Bhimber sector, resulting in Shahadat of two civilians and injuries to nine civilians. These violations if continued will not go unpunished,” he said.

“We have exercised maximum restraint. We are a peace loving nation, we believe in resolution of all the outstanding issues and disputes through dialogue,” the prime minister said in a statement issued from the PM’s Media Office here.

He said, “As a responsible sovereign state we have been endeavouring for regional peace and stability for the collective betterment and prosperity of the residents of South Asia. It is unfortunate that our initiative and efforts have not been reciprocated by India. India should investigate the recent incident and share the findings with Pakistan, instruct its troops to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and refrain from intentionally targeting the villages and maintain peace on the Working Boundary and the LoC,” the prime minister added.