Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: In yet another ceasefire violation, Indian forces killed two civilians and injured eight others in the Chaprar Sector along the Working Boundary (WB) on Wednesday.

Pakistan Rangers gave a befitting response to unprovoked firing by India and managed to shoot five Indian soldiers, besides destroying four of their checkposts along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Bhimber Sector.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), another civilian named Sikandar from Sona Valley – who was injured by Indian firing the other day – succumbed to his injuries at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Kharian on Wednesday.

Security sources said that six Pakistan civilians have so far been died, while 29 others received injuries due to unprovoked firing and shelling by Indian forces on the Working Boundary.

Pakistan has reportedly lodged a strong protest with India on the continued violation of the ceasefire agreement along the LoC and the Working Boundary.

It may be mentioned here that India’s border forces continued unprovoked firing and shelling on the Working Boundary on the fourth consecutive day in the Charwah, Mian Harpal and Chaprar sectors. The Indian forces fired about 60 mortar shells in Pakistani territory of Chak Sukha. Dozens of cattle were killed, electric poles and transformer blown up and the hundreds of villages plunged into darkness.

On the other hand, the director general of South Asia and SAARC on Wednesday summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner at the Foreign Office and lodged a strong protest over unprovoked ceasefire violations on October 25-26.

It was conveyed to the Indian side that it should investigate the incidents and share the findings with Pakistan, and instruct its troops to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit.

The Indian deputy high commissioner was also conveyed that Indian troops should refrain from intentionally targeting the villages, and maintain peace on the Working Boundary and the LoC.

Meanwhile, Executive District Officer (Education) Muhammad Farooq on Wednesday said that 34 schools, situated in areas along the Sialkot Working Boundary, had been closed temporarily due to unprovoked firing and shelling by Indian troops.

Talking to APP, he said that the Education Department had decided to close 34 schools at Charwa, Raja Harpal and Chaprar sectors due to the firing.

He said that an advisory had been issued for students, directing them to stay homes until the next advisory. He said that teachers could mark their attendance at schools that were situated away from the Working Boundary. He said that Indian firing and shelling had also damaged buildings of many schools.