10 civilians including children wounded in unprovoked Indian firing along LoC

F.P. Report

RAWALPINDI: In an unfortunate event, 10 civilians including two children and two women sustained critical injuries along the Line of Control (LoC) after Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing deliberately targeting the civilian population.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that Indian troops in last 24 hours have continuously breached the ceasefire agreement by firing mortars and heavy weapons in Jandrot and Nikial sectors along the LoC. The population in Jabbar, Sandhara, Sumbal Gali and Dabsi villages of Kotli district were targeted.

The wounded civilians were taken to the nearby hospital for medical assistance.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army troops responded effectively to Indian unprovoked ceasefire violations. One Indian soldier was killed, three got injured, including a major, while substantial damage inflicted on Indian posts which initiated fire, reported the military’s media wing.

Pakistan has registered a strong protest against India on Monday for continuous ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC) which resulted in critical injuries to the civilians.

According to the Foreign Office, a senior diplomat from the High Commission of India has been summoned to register their protest for the indiscriminate firing by Indian troops on Feb 9 targeting the villages of Kotla district. 10 innocent civilians including children and women were wounded in the unprovoked firing.

Condemning the targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless Indian acts, in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding and complete disregard for international human rights and international norms, further vitiate the tense atmosphere along the LoC and pose a threat to regional peace and stability.

It was also emphasized that by raising tensions along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB), India cannot divert attention from the worsening human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

Pakistan called upon the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB.

It was also urged that India should permit the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.