–Military destroys two bunkers of Indian forces after three civilians embrace martyrdom in unprovoked Indian firing
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army on Sunday killed six Indian soldiers in retaliatory fire after three civilians, including a minor, embraced martyrdom as a result of unprovoked firing and shelling by the Indian from across the Line of Control (LoC).
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on its official Twitter handle, Pakistan Army gave a “befitting response to Indian ceasefire violations in Tatta Pani [Hot Spring] Sector along the LoC”.
“Indian fire had martyred three civilians, including a 7 years old boy,” it added.
In retaliation, the army targeted Indian posts, killing six Indian soldiers, including an officer, and destroyed two bunkers.
Pakistan Army’s befitting response to Indian CFVs in Tatta Pani Sector along LOC. Indian fire had martyred 3 civilians including 7 years old boy. Pakistan Army targeted Indian posts. 6 Indian soldiers including an officer killed, many injured 2 bunkers destroyed.
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 20, 2019
Earlier in the day, the Foreign Office summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia and registered a strong protest over recent unprovoked ceasefire violation by Indian forces.
“The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working Boundary have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars, and automatic weapons, which still continues,” an FO statement said, adding that this unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by Indian forces has been going on since the year 2017, when they committed 1970 such violations.
“The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws,” the statement said.
It added India’s ceasefire violations were a threat to regional peace and security and “may lead to a strategic miscalculation”.
According to the press release, FO Director General (South Asia and Saarc) Dr Muhammad Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement. He asked New Delhi to investigate these as well as other incidents of ceasefire violations and to instruct Indian forces to respect the ceasefire “in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary”.
The development comes at a time when tensions between the two neighboring countries have touched an all-time high since the Pulwama incident in February this year.
The army has termed these firing incidents as a part of “efforts to divert attention from [the] precarious situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir”.
On Sunday, the military killed two Indian soldiers in retaliatory fire after two civilians embraced martyrdom as a result of unprovoked firing by the Indian. According to a statement issued by the ISPR, the Indian Army targeted the civil population in Hot Spring Sector along LoC with mortars and anti-tank guided missiles.
The Indian army had also violated the ceasefire at LoC on August 15 (Thursday) in Lipa and Battal sectors resulting in the martyrdom of Naik Tanveer Ahmad, Lance Naik Taimoor Aslam and Sepoy Ramzan, the FO spokesperson had said in a statement.
“Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working Boundary had continuously been violating the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, which needed to be respected,” the statement had further added.