Daily Times

The Pakistan Army said on Monday it had killed an Indian soldier and injured three others in response to “unprovoked” firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which seriously injured 10 civilians, including women and children.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the injured Indian soldiers included a major.

During the last 24 hours, the Indian Army fired across the LoC into Jandrot and Nikial sectors, using mortars and heavy weapons, deliberately targeting the civilian population in Jabbar, Sandhara, Sumbal Gali and Dabsi villages of Kotli district.

Ten people, including two children and as many women, sustained serious injuries. They were evacuated to a nearby medical facility for necessary care, the ISPR said.

Pakistani troops “responded effectively” to Indian ceasefire violations and “substantial damage [was] inflicted on the Indian posts, which initiated the fire”, the press release added.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office summoned Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the LoC in several villages of Kotli.

According to an FO press release, the “the indiscriminate and unprovoked firing” by the Indian forces caused serious injuries to Muhammad Shabbir, Jamila Bibi, Muhammad Amin, Muhammad Yasin and Muhammad Safin in Jabbar village; Muhammad Haleem, Muhammad Zeeshan and Muhammad Junaid in Sandhara village; Zubaida Bibi in Sumbal Gali village; and Zaheer in Dabsi village.

Condemning the targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian troops, FO Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri underscored that “such senseless Indian acts, in clear violation of the 2003 ceasefire understanding, and complete disregard for international human rights and international norms, further vitiate the tense atmosphere along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security”, the statement said.

He said that by raising tensions along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB), India could not divert attention from the worsening human rights situation in Indian-held Kashmir.

Chaudhri called upon the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire understanding, investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations, and maintain peace on the LoC and the WB.

He also called on India to permit the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per United Nations Security Council resolutions, the FO said.