Daily Times

An 11-year-old Pakistani girl was killed and four other villagers critically wounded by Indian troops firing into the Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Inter-Services Public Relations said Sunday.

The ISPR said the unprovoked firing by Indian troops using long-range guns and artillery targeted the villages of Hotspring and Rakhchikri along the Line of Control. It said a 75-year-old woman was among the four civilians wounded. The military said its forces responded by firing at Indian army posts.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Sunday summoned Indian envoy to register strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on the night between September 11 and 12.

Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia was summoned to Ministry of Foreign Affairs wherein the authorities registered protest over the ceasefire violation which martyred a girl and injured another four innocent civilians.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hotspring and Rakhchikri Sectors of the LoC, 10-year old Iqra Qamrez d/o Qamrez, resident of Village Dera Sahib Zadian, was martyred, while 16-year old Iqrar, 75-year old Motia Begum, residents of same village; eight-year old Khwaar Ahmed and 40-year old Murtaza Khan of Village Degwar, sustained serious injuries, Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said that the Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) had been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 2,225 ceasefire violations to date, resulting into martyrdom of 18 civilians and seriously injuring 176 others, he added.

Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security. It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).

Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.