Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Seven soldiers were martyred at Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber Sector on Monday as Indian forces opened unprovoked fire.

The Pakistan Army responded in a befitting manner and killed several Indian soldiers and destroyed their posts as well. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa, Indian troops opened fire late on Sunday night after which Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts effectively.

Military sources said scores of Indian soldiers were killed as Pakistani troops retaliated aggressively. They added that the Indian Army posts had also been destroyed.

The martyred Pakistani soldiers are Havaldar Zafar Hussain, Havaldar Ibrar Ahmed Awan, Lance Naik Muhammad Shoukat, Lance Naik Muhammad Haleem, Sepoy Pervez, Sepoy Muhammad Ilyas and Sepoy Muhammad Tanveer.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif attended the funeral prayers of the soldiers in Jhelum. The top general was also briefed on the situation at LoC. General Raheel paid rich tributes to the valour and unmatched sacrifices rendered by the soldiers of Pakistan Army. He underlined that the Armed Forces of Pakistan did not initiate the fire, but would always respond in a befitting manner, if fired upon. He reiterated the determination by saying, “We will continue to respond effectively and leave no stone unturned to defend the motherland.”

On the other hand, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed his profound grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives in the latest violation of Line of Control by the Indian forces.

Paying tributes to the martyred soldiers, he said that it is extremely unfortunate that Indian forces have continuously violated ceasefire agreement at LoC.

According to the PM’s House spokesman, Nawaz said, “We are fully capable of defending our soil against any aggression. The Indian forces have resorted to escalating tension on LoC only to detract the world’s attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian-held Kashmir (IHK).” Nawaz also said that Indian forces have inflicted unspeakable atrocities against the unarmed and innocent people of IHK.

“There is an indigenous uprising against Indian occupation, and the Indian government is failing to read the writing on the wall. By creating tension at LoC, the Indian forces are uselessly trying to divert the attention from the Kashmir issue,” added the PM.

Praying to God to bless the martyred souls with eternal peace, he said that those who sacrificed their lives in defending the motherland would always be remembered and held in the highest esteem.

“There is an indigenous uprising against Indian occupation, and the Indian government is failing to read the writing on the wall. By creating tension at LoC, the Indian forces are uselessly trying to divert the attention from the Kashmir issue,” added the PM.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry summoned the Indian high commissioner and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Indian occupation forces on the LoC. The foreign secretary asked the Indian high commissioner to convey to his government that it must stop the provocative firing and observe the ceasefire.

Separately, President Mamnoon Hussain expressed profound grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of seven brave Pakistani soldiers as a result of unprovoked firing by Indian forces. Strongly condemning the continuous truce violations at the Line of Control by Indian security forces, the president paid tributes to the martyred soldiers and said that their sacrifices would not go in vain.

The president condoled with the grieving families and prayed for salvation of the departed souls.

He said that India was trying to divert the world attention from its ongoing atrocities in Indian-held Kashmir where it had been curbing the just struggle of innocent Kashmiri men, women and children.

He said that the persistent Indian barbarities in IHK found no example in human history, adding that the aspirations of innocent Kashmiris could not be suppressed through use of violence. Mamnoon said that Pakistan was fully capable to defend its soil against any aggression and its armed forces were always prepared to foil the nefarious designs of the archrival.