Civilian martyred in unprovoked Indian firing across LoC: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: A civilian was martyred in unprovoked firing by Indian security forces across the Line of Control (LoC), said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a press statement on Tuesday.

According to the media wing of the military, Indian security forces opened fire on the civilian population in the Kotkoterra sector.

The civilian, Abdul Rauf, was grazing animals when he got targeted by Indian troops.

Earlier on August 18,  another civilian was martyred as Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing, targetting civilians along the LoC in Danna sector.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a 65-year-old man Zulfiqar was martyred in the Mouji village during unprovoked firing by Indian troops.

The Pakistan Army had then targeted Indian check posts in response.

The incident occurred on the day when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan took oath as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan.

In his first public address, Imran Khan had talked about improving ties between India and Pakistan. He said, “If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least [we] need a start.” He added that Kashmir issue can be resolved through talks.

On June 28, top military officials of Pakistan and India had agreed to fully implement the ceasefire agreement of November 2003. However, only three days later, Indian troops shot at and injured a man in a border village of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The Director Generals of Military Operations of Pakistani and Indian armies had also established a special hotline contact and agreed to undertake sincere measures to improve the existing situation and ensuring peace and avoidance of hardships to civilians along the LoC and Working Boundary (WB).

“Both DGs MO agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit forthwith and to ensure that henceforth the ceasefire will not be violated by both sides,” an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement had said at the time.

Soon after, an armoured vehicle drove wildly into a crowd of protesters in Kashmir’s largest city, slamming into a half-dozen people and crushing one man beneath its wheels, injuring him critically in response to a protest for the perpetual violence and intended-abrogation Article 35-A.

By June 2017, unprovoked firing by Indian forces across the LoC had taken 832 lives, left 3,000 injured and had damaged 3,300 houses, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.