Two women among three injured in Indian firing across LoC

ISLAMABAD: Three people, including two women, were injured as Indian forces opened fire along the Line of Control (LoC), said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday.

Indian troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in Khuiratta, Kotli and Battal in Rawalakot, said the ISPR.

“Pakistan Army troops effectively responded to Indian posts from where the firing was initiated,” the statement added.

On January 18, Pakistan had recorded a protest with the Indian deputy high commissioner after fresh cross-border firing claimed lives of two women and wounded five others along the Working Boundary in Sialkot’s Chaprar sector, with the Foreign Office stating India’s confrontational attitude may lead to a “strategic miscalculation”.

The Foreign Office summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and served a demarche while lodging a protest against the casualties resulting from the ceasefire violation by Indian forces.

“Indian confrontational attitude is a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation. Pakistan is fully capable of giving a befitting response to any misadventure,” FO spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said at the weekly press briefing.

According to the Foreign Office, Indian forces have committed more than 70 ceasefire violations along the LoC and Working Boundary in 2018, in which at least three civilians and four soldiers have lost their lives, and 10 people have been injured.

“This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1,900 ceasefire violations. I have urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions,” the spokesman said.

“India has deliberately escalated tensions at the LoC and the Working Boundary, in order to try to divert the attention of the international community from the grave situation in the Indian, occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where the Indian occupation forces have unleashed a reign of terror committing brutalities against the innocent and defenseless people,” added the FO spokesperson.

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

On January 15, 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.

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 1,900 ceasefire violations.