India trigger happy at LoC again

• Three Pakistanis killed, 22 injured by ‘unprovoked firing’ by Indian troops along WB in Sialkot sector
• FO urges India to stop ceasefire violations and observe 2003 Ceasefire Understanding for peace at LoC and WB
• COAS satisfied over noticeable change country’s security situation, says army ready to tackle all kinds of threats

During an exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani security forces on Tuesday along the Working Boundary (WB) in Sialkot, at least three Pakistanis, including a minor, were killed and 22 others injured.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the civilians were killed due to “unprovoked firing” by Indian troops in Sukhial village. Women and children are included among the 22 wounded in the exchange of fire in the Pukhlian and Bajwat sectors, the ISPR said.

Meanwhile, the Indian media reports claimed that firing from the Pakistani side had killed one Indian civilian.

FO CONDEMNS:

The Pakistani Foreign Office (FO) condemned the killing of civilians in the latest unprovoked ceasefire violations by India at the WB.

In a statement, the FO said that Pakistan has lodged a protest with the Indian government for ceasefire violations by the Indian security forces in Pukhlian. Two civilians, aged 14 and 22, died, while others, including at least three children and two women, were injured, the FO said.

“The unprovoked ceasefire violations were started by India at New Kane and two other posts at 0530 hours today. Pakistani posts responded to this provocation. The Indian troops then opened fire from all of their posts in the area targeting civilians and villages,” the FO said.

While condemning the ceasefire violations, the FO urged India to stop ceasefire violations and to observe the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding in order to create peace and tranquility at the LoC and the WB.

Earlier in July, Pakistani officials accused the BSF for killing four civilians in two separate incidents of cross-border firing in Sialkot’s Chaprar and Rawalakot’s Neza Pir sectors. India accused Pakistan of killing three border guards and one civilian.

Tensions along the border between the two neighbours have escalated despite an hour-long meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Ufa, Russia on July 10.

PAK ARMY IS READY! ARE YOU?

In the meanwhile, during a corps commanders’ conference held on Tuesday at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif reviewed the state of readiness and vigilance by troops along the Line of Control (LOC).

Expressing complete satisfaction over “noticeable change in the overall security situation of the country”, General Sharif has made it clear that the armed forces of Pakistan were “fully prepared to respond to the entire spectrum of threats”, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Asim Bajwa tweeted.

Referring to the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and Afghan Taliban, the army chief told the meeting that it was the only credible way to achieve lasting peace. He said “detractors and spoilers” are against peace and prosperity of Afghanistan and the entire region.

During the meeting, participants discussed at length the internal and external security situation in the country and reviewed progress of Operation Zarb-e-Azb and ongoing intelligence-based operations in the country.