LoC firing kills one; Indian envoy summoned, admonished

–Pakistan blows away Indian military post that fired on civilians

RAWALPINDI: Indian troops on Thursday targeted a school van in the Battal sector of the Azad Jammu Kashmir, killing the driver on the spot, officials said.

Responding to Indian violation of LoC, Pakistan Army destroyed the Indian military post that targeted the civilians.

Pakistani counterfire resulted in the death of the five Indian soldiers and the post being totally demolished. Multiple Indian soldiers were also injured.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan has decided to respond forcefully to any such attack in the future.

Indian Army post on LOC targeting innocent citizens destroyed by Pak Army troops in Tatta Pani (Hot Spring) sector. Five Indian soldiers killed, many injured. Indian terrorism against innocent citizens shall be responded befittingly. pic.twitter.com/MHWv4Xc97n

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 15, 2018

Following the incident, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to condemn the constant ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

According to a statement issued the FO, the Indian occupation forces deliberately targeted a school van carrying school children on the Battal-Madharpur road, resulting in the death of the driver, besides leaving the children severely traumatised.

“Indian unethical and unprofessional approach across the LoC continues terrorising civilians,” said the Pakistan Army’s spokesperson while condemning the act.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Major General Asif Ghafoor reiterated that such attacks were a violation of the Geneva Convention and a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The incident took place when they were on their way from Daramsal to Battal, the statement added.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi strongly condemned the attack.

He said that such unprovoked and unethical acts had exposed the real face of India, who continued to violate the Geneva Convention by targeting innocent school children.

He prayed for eternal peace to be granted to the departed soul and courage for the victim’s bereaved family.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the incident. He expressed a deep sense of sorrow of grief over the martyrdom of the van driver.

The chief minister expressed heartfelt sympathies and condolences for the members of the bereaved family. He said that this incident has once again revealed the cruel face of India. He said that India is blatantly engaged in human rights violations.

He further said that brave armed forces of Pakistan are fully capable of giving a befitting reply to Indian aggression. The whole nation is standing shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces of Pakistan, he added.

Meanwhile, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider also condemned the attack and said that United Nations (UN) should take notice of such criminal activities.

While talking to a private news channel, he said that India was targeting innocent civilians living along the LoC. He also termed the act as cowardly.

He said that Pakistan should highlight the issue at UN and urged the international community to pressurise India into resolving the issue of Kashmir.

A student of a local degree college, who was present in the vehicle, narrated her ordeal: “There was firing while we were on the way and I thought the vehicle had been hit. When we looked, the driver had been hit and was bleeding profusely. The students panicked and started screaming while people gathered at the spot of the attack after some time.”

Indian ceasefire violations along the Line of Control have become a routine with 150 violations since the start of this year. These skirmishes have seen an increase after the Narendra Modi-led government came into power in India.

On Sunday, three civilians were wounded when Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing across the LoC.

In 2018, Indian forces carried out more than 150 ceasefire violations along the LoC and the Working Boundary, resulting in the death of nine innocent civilians, while injuring 40 others. In 2017, Indian forces committed more than 1900 ceasefire violations.