Pak soldier, woman martyred in Indian firing along LoC

By News Desk

RAWALPINDI: A Pakistan Army soldier embraced Shahadat (martyrdom) in unprovoked firing by Indian troops in Hajipir Sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC).

The 33-year-old Havaldar Nasir Hussain had 16 years of service and was inhabitant of Narowal, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement, on Saturday.

Indian troops also resorted to unprovoked firing in the Nikial and Jandrot sectors along Line of Control targeting the civil population, where a woman was killed. According to ISPR, an innocent woman Fatima Bibi, 40, resident of Village Balakot embraced martyrdom while six individuals, including four women got injured. The injured were evacuated to a nearby medical facility for treatment.

Later in the day, Director General (SA & SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned the Indian Charge de Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the LoC, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working boundary have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars, and automatic weapons, which still continues. This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations.

“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 statement added.

Dr Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement; investigate these 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. He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.