–ISPR says use of cluster ammunition is prohibited under Convention on Cluster Ammunition because of its severe impact on non-combatants
–Maj Gen Ghafoor says ‘no weapon can suppress Kashmiris’ determination to get their right of self-determination’
RAWALPINDI: The Indian Army earlier this week used cluster ammunition to target the civilian population in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) across the Line of Control (LoC) in violation of the Geneva Convention and international law, Pakistan Army said on Saturday.
According to a statement released by the army’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Indian military on the night of July 30/July 31 targeted innocent citizens, including women and children, in Neelum Valley through artillery using cluster ammunition. The attack left two civilians, including a 4-year-old boy, dead and 11 others were critically injured.
“This is [a] violation of Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law,” the ISPR said, adding that the use of cluster ammunition is prohibited under the Convention on Cluster Ammunition because of its severe impact on non-combatants.
Dropped from planes or fired from artillery, cluster bombs explode in mid-air, scattering bomblets, with many civilians getting killed or maimed by their indiscriminate, wide-area effect. They also pose a lasting threat as many bomblets fail to explode on impact.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, “Cluster munitions kill and injure large numbers of civilians and cause long-lasting socio-economic problems. The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions and requires States to ensure that they claim no further victims.”
“This blatant Indian aggression against all international norms exposes true character of Indian Army and their moral standing,” the ISPR statement said.
It added that it was time for the international community to take notice of “this Indian blatant violation of international laws” on use of cluster ammunition for the purpose of targeting innocent citizens.
The military’s media wing also shared images of civilians who sustained gruesome injuries from the Indian troops’ use of cluster munitions.
ISPR Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor condemned the Indian Army’s use of cluster bombs in violation of international conventions.
“No weapon can suppress [the] determination of Kashmiris to get their right of self-determination,” he said in a tweet.
“Kashmir runs in [the] blood of every Pakistani. Indigenous freedom struggle of Kashmiris shall succeed, IA.”
Use of cluster bombs by Indian Army violating international conventions is condemnable. No weapon can suppress determination of Kashmiris to get their right of self determination. Kashmir runs in blood of every Pakistani. Indigenous freedom struggle of Kashmiris shall succeed,IA.
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 3, 2019
The ISPR statement comes a day after the AJK government warned people, particularly those living along the LoC, against touching or picking any familiar and unfamiliar devices or gadgets if found lying anywhere in the shelling-infested areas to avoid any danger to their lives.
Three people lost their lives and four others were wounded when they tried to tamper with a dud device in a shop near Muzaffarabad a few days ago.