India’s warmongering turns bloodier, kills four Pak troops at LoC

• Pakistani forces retaliate, kill three Indian soldiers as India’s army chief reiterates threat to ‘scale up operations’ 
•  Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh summoned over ceasefire violations 
• Gen Rawat accuses Pakistan of violating ceasefire, facilitating militants’ infiltration into Kashmir
• Senate body says Pakistan will raise Indian army chief’s threats on every diplomatic platform

ISLAMABAD: At least four Pakistani soldiers were martyred in unprovoked firing by India from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Jandrot sector on Monday, as Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat yet again threatened to scale up operations against the neighbouring country.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Indian army resorted to unprovoked firing at the troops when they were busy with maintenance of a communication line.

In retaliation, Pakistani troops killed three Indian soldiers and injured few others, said the ISPR.

INDIAN DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER JP SINGH SUMMONED:

SA and SAARC Director General Dr Mohmmad Faisal summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh on Monday and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces.

The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas and troops carrying out maintenance activities is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws, said a statement issued later in the day. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation, the statement added.

The director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement and investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations. He also instructed the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

He insisted that the Indian side should permit the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

However, despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 100 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary in just 15 days.

The latest incident of cross-border firing comes in wake of repeated inflammatory statements by the top Indian army general who has said that his forces “were ready to call Pakistan’s nuclear bluff and cross the border to carry out any operation if asked by the New Delhi government”.

On Monday, while addressing the 70th Army Day celebration at Cariappa Parade Ground, Gen Rawat again said that any provocative action from Pakistan will lead to a befitting reply.

“On the Line of Control (LoC), the Pakistan Army is continuing ceasefire violations and helping terrorists to infiltrate into India. We are using our might to teach them a lesson. Any provocative action from Pakistan’s side will get a befitting reply,” he alleged.

“If we are forced, we will scale up the level of our action, and can take other steps.”

The Indian Army chief also alleged that Pakistan was trying to disrupt social harmony in Indian-occupied Kashmir, citing attacks on the Amarnath pilgrims and killing of Jammu and Kashmir policemen and soldiers.

“It is an attempt to target our national unity and social fabric. We will not allow these anti-national forces to succeed,” he claimed.

Responding to the Indian army chief’s statement, ISPR DG Major General Asif Ghafoor had said that such irresponsible statements from a person of a responsible stature are deplorable.

Speaking to a news channel, Gen Ghafoor said, “We believe COAS is a very responsible appointment, and four-star is a rank with age-long experience and maturity.”

The Foreign Office had also responded to the Indian army chief’s statement in strong terms, saying Gen Rawat’s “threatening” remark is “representative of a sinister mindset that has taken hold of India”.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif had said that India may test Pakistan’s resolve if that is what it wishes to do.

“Very irresponsible statement by Indian Army Chief, not befitting his office. [This] amounts to an invitation for a nuclear encounter,” he had tweeted. “If that is what they desire, they are welcome to test our resolve. The general’s doubt would swiftly be removed, inshallah.”

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal had said that the statement proves that “India is an irresponsible nuclear state”.

Ahsan Iqbal, while speaking to media in Lahore, had said that nuclear powers across the world show responsible behaviour but the statement proves that India is an “irresponsible nuclear power”.

“Nuclear weapons are not pistols or slingshots, they are weapons of mass destruction. Therefore, people expect nuclear powers to behave responsibly,” he had said.

Iqbal had raised questions over the possibility of Indian inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, given the “irresponsible” statements made.

“What do the Indian army chief and [US President Donald] Trump’s statements indicate?” he had asked. “That external attempts are being made to pressure Pakistan.”

On Monday, the Senate Standing Committee on Defence approved a resolution against the recent statement of the Indian army chief.

According to the approved resolution, Pakistan will raise the statement by the Indian army chief on every diplomatic platform, adding, the Pakistan armed forces are capable to give a befitting response to India.

India frequently opens unprovoked fire across the LoC, resulting in the martyrdom of civilians and army officials.

On December 25, 2017, three Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred as Indian forces opened fire along the LoC’s Rakhchikri sector.

One other soldier was injured in the unprovoked firing.

This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces had committed more than 1900 ceasefire violations.