Unprovoked firing and shelling by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) killed five Pakistanis and injured five others at Sialkot working boundary and at Line of Control (LoC) near Rawlakot on Thursday.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Ghulam Mustafa, Rahat and Boota from Malana and Salehpur villages embraced martyrdom while five other civilians, including two women, were injured at working boundary near Sialkot.
Moreover, 18-year-old Zareena was martyred at LoC in Neza Pir sector near Rawlakot.
According to officials, the Indian BSF resorted to heavy firing and shelling on a bordering village, Salehpur, located near Chapral Sector of the Sialkot Working Boundary in the wee hours of Thursday.
At Neza Pir, the Indian side started unprovoked firing at midnight on July 16, 2015 while at the working boundary in Chaprar at 01:25am which lasted until 5am.
The Indian BSF targeted the civilian population and fired several heavy mortar shells, senior officials said, adding that the early morning attack prompted villagers to evacuate the area.
The Punjab Rangers gave proportionate and calibrated response, silencing the Indian guns.
PAK PROTESTS INDIAN DRONE:
In the meanwhile, Pakistan on Thursday lodged a strong protest over its airspace violation by an Indian spy drone, which was brought down by Pakistani troops.
Indian High Commissioner Dr TCA Raghavan was called in at the Foreign Office by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry who registered a protest over the airspace violation at Banchirian Sector near Bhimber on Wednesday when an Indian UAV (spy drone) entered Pakistan’s air space.
The incident was in violation of the international laws, Pakistan’s territorial integrity, two Agreements of 1991 on Airspace Violation and SOPs of Advance Notice for Military Exercises, Military Maneuvers and Troops Movement.
The foreign secretary also registered the government’s concern over helicopter maneuvers near LoC on July 11, 2015, terming it “an offensive and threatening posture”.
The protest was also lodged for the unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Indian BSF at Phuklian-Akhnor sector early morning on July 15, 2015, which continued until sunset.
The foreign secretary also protested the ceasefire violations which took place Thursday morning at LoC and working boundary.
The foreign secretary emphasised that in the spirit of maintaining peace and tranquility at the LoC and working boundary, and the region at large, it was important that the 2003 understanding on maintaining ceasefire is observed.
The Indian HC assured the FS to convey the message to his authorities.
