Seven-year-old child martyred in Indian firing at LoC

MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD/HARIPUR: A seven-year- old child was martyred by the Indian forces’ unprovoked firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Kashmir. The victim, identified as Saddam, 7, sustained serious injuries by unprovoked firing of Indian forces at the LoC in Abbaspur Sector of Azad Kashmir on midnight between Sunday and Monday. He was shifted to a nearby local hospital for first aid but he couldn’t survive.

Meanwhile, Director General South Asia and Saarc Dr Mohammad Faisal on Monday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

On Sunday, in the Hot Spring and Chirikot Sectors of LoC, two elderly civilians including Lal Muhammad, 75 and Hassan Din, 61, residents of village Nagrai, were martyred and seven-year-old child Saddam was injured critically who died on Monday. Dr Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate the 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.

He stressed that India should permit the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

The Foreign Office in a statement mentioned that Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working Boundary continuously targeted civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars, and automatic weapons. "The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation," the FO statement added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army’s martyred soldier Shahid Nawaz Tanoli was laid to rest in his native town Beetgali on Monday.

The funeral prayer of Pak Army soldier Shahid Nawaz Tanoli offered in his native town Beetgali which attended by a large number of military officers, jawans, PTI local leadership and people from all walks of life and termed his martyrdom an honour for the area. The relatives of the martyred soldier Shahid Nawaz Tanoli told to media that it was honour that Shahid had sacrificed his life for the motherland.

The family members further said that martyred Shahid Nawaz Tanoli was a brave man and the whole nation has admired his sacrifices for a noble cause.