Jammu, Mar 01: Two Indian Army soldier and a civilian were injured in firing and heavy mortar shelling by Pakistani troops “targeting civilian areas” along the LoC, including in Poonch district and Nowshera town in Rajouri today, an official said.
“The Pakistan Army had fired and shelled forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani, Nowshera and Khour sectors of Rajouri and Jammu districts yesterday also. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory fire by Indian troops,” an Army official claimed.
“Pakistan troops resorted to heavy mortar shelling in Sunderban sector tonight. Due to shelling, there was a forest fire,” Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.
There was shelling in Mangiote, Kalai and Minka in the same sector, he said, adding the Pakistani Army “targeted civilian areas” in Kalsia, Hania, Troi nalla, Baba Khori and Nowshera town.
A civilian was injured in the shelling in Kalsia, where a house was also damaged, Choudhary said.
“Shells landed near Nowshera town. It is a worrisome situation as interior areas are being targeted,” the Deputy Commissioner said.
Earlier in the day, two Indian Army soldiers were injured in firing and shelling along the LoC, an official said, adding the injured soldiers were hospitalised.
“Pakistani Army resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, and mortars from 8.45 am today along the LoC in Bhimber Gali sector of Poonch district,” a defence spokesperson said, adding the Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively.
Firing and shelling along the LoC and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir have left 21 people, including 12 security personnel dead and more than 80 others, mostly civilians, injured this year.
Pak summons Indian envoy over ‘unprovoked firing’
Islamabad, Mar 02 (PTI) Pakistan summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh for the second consecutive day today over the “unprovoked firing” by Indian troops across the Line of Control.
Foreign Office said that Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and condemned the “unprovoked ceasefire violations” by the Indian forces along the LoC on March 01 in Bhimber/Samahini Sectors.
The firing killed a civilian and injured his wife and son, it said, adding that Indian troops were using “heavy mortars”.
Faisal said despite calls for restraint, “India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations”.
He said “India carried out more than 415 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary so far in 2018, resulting in the killings of 20 civilians and injuries to 71 others.”
He said this “unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations.”
“The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation,” said Faisal.
Pakistan urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.
He also urged the Indian side to allow the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
India maintains that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequentestablishment of the Line of Control.
The Foreign Office yesterday summoned Singh and condemned the “unprovoked ceasefire violations” by the Indian forces in Kotli/Jandrot and Chirikot sectors.
It had summoned India’s deputy high commissioner on February 05, 15, 20, 22, 24 and 27.
