Uri: Army on Sunday claimed that it has given befitting reply to frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army and alleged Pakistan Army has targeted civilian villages in which several houses got damaged.
Talking to media persons at Uri about tensions along LoC, Commander 12 Infantry Brigade, Brigadier Y.S Ahlawat said that Pakistan Army got a strong reply following its misadventure.
“Pakistan Army has been continuously carrying out ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Uri sector targeting innocent villagers living along the border. Displaying extreme cowardice and unprofessionalism, Pakistan Army has been using heavy mortar shells and other artillery explosives damaging civilian houses,” said Brigadier Y.S Ahlawat.
“In a befitting reply, the Indian Army has retaliated strongly with heavy fire on the Pakistan Army posts which were involved in the ceasefire violations,” he added.
When asked about the reports alleging Indian Army for initiating ceasefire violation, Brigadier Ahlawat said Indian Army has only responded to the ceasefire violation of Pakistani Army.
“We only targeted Pakistani Army posts. We have not taken refuge in civilian houses as our bunkers are much stronger than the local houses,” he said refuting allegations that Army had taken cover of civilian houses while retailing.
The commander said that Pakistan Army has targeted the border villagers of Balkote, Sailkote, Tilwari , Churanda, Hathlanga and other neighbouring villages. The villagers have been evacuated to the Government Higher Secondary Uri where Army has been providing immediate relief to the displaced villagers.
He claimed that Army is confident of establishing peaceful and safe conditions at the earliest to ensure an early return of displaced villagers to their homes.
PaK starts evacuation plan amid LoC tensions
Islamabad, Feb 25 (PTI) The government of Pakistan-administered-Kashmir (PaK) has readied evacuation plan to relocate locals to safe areas due to recent “provocation” by Indian forces at the Line of Control (LoC), a media report said today.
The decision has been taken amidst no let-up in LoC “ceasefire violations by the Indian forces” in the recent days, the ‘Express Tribune’ quoted local government sources as saying.
PaK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has directed the district machinery and local authorities in the areas located along LoC to make standby arrangements for relocating thousands of people whose lives have come under direct threat after the tension at border, the paper reported.
On a small-scale, the public in the villages directly affected by LoC firing have been relocated. Further the evacuation activities would be extended to the sector-level if LoC ceasefire violations did not stop, the paper said.
“The instances of ceasefire violations by the Indian forces recorded an alarming increase since the start of the month February” following which the government has readied evacuation plan, the paper quoted a cabinet member as saying.
Last week, Haider instructed authorities to give state funerals to those killed due to firing by Indian troops across the Line of Control.
