Senseless Indian firing at LoC

In a recent report published by the Times of India, the Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) have claimed of firing over 9,000 rounds of mortar shells across the international border in Jammu. 

Senior officials of the Border Security Force and in the Indian home ministry claimed that the situation along the 190-km ‘international border’ in the Jammu area was very tense as, according to them, Pakistan had opened heavy fire in the entire stretch. 

They said the BSF had fired over 9,000 rounds of mortar shells since January 19, after "Pakistan first breached the peace and hit BSF posts and civilian areas". The mortar shelling is in addition to retaliation by an assortment of other arms and ammunition, they said. While the report about the BSF firing 9,000 rounds is true, the reports about Pakistan opening fire are totally untrue and fabricated.

As the Indian Army is deliberately targeting civilians along the LoC, the Pakistan Army is responding in a befitting manner and is taking all necessary safeguards to protect the life and property of citizens. Understandably, the objective of the Indian firing is to divert the attention of the world community from the gross human rights violations committed by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.

According to reports, more than 400 ceasefire violations have been committed by the Indian troops. Since January 2013, 80 Pakistani civilians embraced martyrdom and over 300 were injured due to unprovoked firing by Indian forces. The DG Disaster Management Authority (DMA) informed the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs recently that about 425,000 civilians residing in areas around the LoC were under threat because of Indian firing. Incidences of firing have so far caused scores of deaths while 3,000 people have been injured and 3,300 houses have been damaged as a result, he said.

Pakistan, in a show of great restraint and maturity, has been reacting to the violations in a responsible manner, ensuring that the volatile situation on the LoC does not spiral out of control. It has repeatedly told India that deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws.

Islamabad is also urging the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate the incidents of ceasefire violations and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace along the LoC. Also, Pakistan wants the Indian side to allow the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

The situation in the Indian-occupied Kashmir is becoming graver day by day as the current events show. More than 350 people have been gunned down by Indian forces in the held Valley, hundreds have lost their eyes, 20,000 injured and thousands of more have been incarcerated. As the Indian media is drumbeating and projecting Modi as a peace-loving leader, the BSF is doing exactly the opposite to that, thereby, giving a message as if the Indian Army is not under Modi’s control. In reality, neither Modi is a peace-loving leader nor can he stop his security forces from firing across the LoC, which is in stark violation of international norms and laws.