- Three dead in Nakyal sector as Indian border forces resort to unprovoked shelling in Nakyal and Kotli sectors, completely disregarding recent ceasefire agreement reached between border security chiefs
- FO spokesman says Pakistan expects India to respect its commitment
- Says ceasefire violations show ‘disconnect between India’s civil and military leaderships’
Three Pakistani civilians were killed on Thursday when Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) resorted to ‘unprovoked’ firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Nakyal sector.
“Indian firing had been intense and ferocious for two hours, but the intensity has subsided now,” said Nazakat Hussain, assistant commissioner in Nakyal. He added that a 12-year old girl, Laiba Shabbir, died in Oli village, while a 55-year old man, Sufi Amin, and a 19-year old boy, Zahid, died in Mohra Dharoti village after mortar shells landed on their homes.
The assistant commissioner added that the number of casualties could be higher, but the administration was unable to ascertain details from the vulnerable areas due to continued Indian firing.
A statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) added that Indian forces also resorted to unprovoked firing in Kotli sector.
Pakistani troops have responded in a befitting manner to Indian firing, said the statement, adding that the exchange of firing was continuing at Nakyal and Kotli sectors.
PAKISTAN EXPECTS INDIA TO RESPECT ITS COMMITMENT:
Meanwhile, addressing his weekly press briefing at the Foreign Office (FO) earlier in the day, FO Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said that Pakistan expected India to respect its commitment on maintaining ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC).
He was responding to a question on the latest LoC violations by India which led to martyrdom of one Pakistani soldier while injuring another. He was asked why New Delhi had resorted to cross-border violations soon after a commitment by its minister that it would not be the first to fire the first bullet, indicating a disconnect between the Indian political and military leadership.
“Yes, certainly there is disconnect between what we are told and the ground realities. We expect India to honour the commitments given to us to respect the ceasefire,” the spokesman said.
Pakistan had lodged a strong protest with India over the latest LoC violations earlier this week as well, calling upon the Indian government to respect the ceasefire agreement.
Pakistan had urged India to independently hold an inquiry into the latest violations and share its findings with Islamabad.
The Foreign Office also asked India not to target civilian populations along the LOC.
The latest bout of border skirmish follows a bi-annual meeting between commanders of Pakistan’s Rangers and India’s Border Security Force, in which the two sides had agreed to stop border violations along the LoC, check smuggling and ensure expeditious repatriation of those who inadvertently cross borders.
Tens of thousands of soldiers are massed on either side of Kashmir, one of the world’s most militarised regions, and in recent months they have stepped up cross-border firing.
