MUZAFFARABAD/ LAHORE:
At least nine civilians — including a woman — were killed and 35 injured in unprovoked firing by Indian troops along the Working Boundary since the first day of Eidul Azha, officials said on Wednesday.
India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has been intermittently firing small arms and mortars in Charwa, Harpal, Bajra Gahri and Chaprar Sectors of the Working Boundary in Sialkot since October 2, officials of Punjab Rangers said. Most of the casualties occurred during Eid days, they added. Apart from human casualties, 28 cattle were also killed and 19 injured in the firing.
Sporadic firing by Indian BSF soldiers continues in different sectors of the Working Boundary, Sector Commander Chenab Rangers Brigadier Waseem Zafar Bhatti told journalists on Wednesday. He added that the BSF has violated the ceasefire 31 times so far this year, while there had been 33 violations by Indian troops in 2013.
The Pakistani forces effectively retaliated to the Indian firing. “Fresh ceasefire violation by India along Working Boundary in Pukhlian, Chaprar, Charwa Sectors with mortar and small arms fire was being responded effectively,” the chief military spokesperson, Maj-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa, said in a post on microblogging site Twitter.
Brigadier Bhatti said that the BSF was deliberately targeting civilian population in border villages, while the Rangers refrained from targeting civilians on the other side of the border. He added that the Indian firing damaged and destroyed a large number of houses and buildings in various villages. He said the BSF has a habit of firing at civilian population in the border villages of Pakistan especially on religious festivals like Eid.
Maj-Gen Khan Tahir Javed Khan, the director general of Pakistan Rangers Punjab, travelled to the Working Boundary in Sialkot while firing by the BSF continued. He visited forward border posts and villages in Charwa Sector. He appreciated the morale, professionalism and courage of Rangers Jawans and officers.
Maj-Gen Khan was briefed on the recent ‘unprovoked firing’ by the BSF on border villages and losses caused. He also appreciated the Rangers personnel for effectively retaliating to the Indian firing. Representatives of national and international media also visited the Working Boundary and met the victims. They visited the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Sialkot and met with those who were injured by the BSF firing.
Like the Working Boundary, Indian troops also resorted to ‘unprovoked firing’ along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir on the occasion of Eidul Azha. Officials say that Indian forces have violated the LoC ceasefire 15 times since Oct 2. Indian troops fired mortar shells at civilian population in Nakyal, Killar, Goi and Dara Sher Khan areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
On the first day of Eid, Indian troops opened fire without any provocation in Nakyal, Darasher Khan, Tatapani and Goyai areas. On the second day, they again shelled the Dara Sher Khan area, which 12 villages with an overall population of 7,000, located close to the LoC.
“A 19-year-old girl, Rizya Bibi, was injured in Dera Sher Khan who was later shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Kotli where she succumbed to her injuries last Tuesday,” villager Fida Khan told The Express Tribune. Another villager, Sardar Rahim said that the Indian army was deliberately targeting the civil population.
Meanwhile, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed condemned the unprovoked Indian firing along the LoC. He appealed to the United Nations Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) stationed both in Muzaffarabad and Srinagar to take notice of Indian shelling on the civil population.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2014.
COMMENTS (16)
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During Eid Holidays, Pakistani’s in Karachi alone managed to kill 11of their own. Story from Express Tribune:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/772388/violence-round-up-two-religious-party-activists-among-11-killed-during-eid-days/
*@sck: so what is true? which indian media tells............seems like u people don't have any knowledge just a big mouth to say foolish things
@ashi: Even when you leave Earth (if ever), you will find Indians there before you! Read about India's Lunar and Mars probes! But I am glad you see Indian movies. They are fun, aren't they: even the bad ones? Don't take life so seriously. Join us - there is a lot in India-Pakistan relationship to laugh at!
News published in Pak newspaper is totally false and misleading and contrary to facts.
why pakistan media is telling lies. it is your duty to correct govt and army. otherwise your credibility will loose
its time to leave Earth as I am fade up of seeing indians on every Pakistani news. Kitnay faright ho tum log Pakistan kay khilaf negative bolnay k lia.
Every where I found ONLY Indians bashing Pakistan. talking like their bollywood movies. in your movies you use strange dialogues and one man army type formula but its real life battle. If Pakistan will get hurt dont forget you guys will start jumping in Arabian sea to save your life.
@AskYourSelf: The MFN status is not a faor you would grant to India. By witholding it, you are non-compliant with WO rules and India could complain but has chosen to be graceful about it.
India had never asked for any tax free passage anywhere. It just asked for passage. Now that it is clear Pakistan will not provide that, India is focusing on the Chabahar port of Iran and will use that as a means of transit. Separately India is working on transit to Asia Pacific through Myanmar. So you had the opportunity o earn some revenue by allowing Indian goods o pass through and you have chosen to not cash that opportunity - fine. No longer is India even seeking it.
Some facts before claiming "Unprovoked firing" 1. In a month's time it would be impossible for terrorist to cross the border into India, hence last attempt to before it becomes inaccessible. 2. Pak went to UN for arbitration, UN refused to intervene. 3. Same claims were made during Kargil, later Gen. Musharaf admitted the offensive operation. 4. India has created a fence on it's side to prevent intruders coming in, clearly shows who the aggressor is. 5. American Gen claiming that Pak are pathological liars, so little credibility is there as far as claims coming for Pak.
Unlike the Pakistan Army, the Indian Army operates under the direction of its elected government. Now why would the Indian govt. want to start anything on the border when it is in the middle of two major State elections? And when its survival depends predominantly on reviving the economy? And when it is doing everything to attract foreign investment for development? On the other hand, for a Pakistan Army stuck in Waziristan with no progress, a plethora of terrorist groups out of control, a govt with which it has to constantly compete for power, and increasing loss of respect from its own public, ........... !
Vision is very important in the life of nations and indeed Indians have that vision as Indian have made Modi PM where as Pakistanis have arrested Musharraf!
Ha! Give them Most Favored Nation in trade Status with non-discrimination promise attached against local manufacturer too, lol. Oh ya! Also grant them Tax-Free Trade Routes to Afghanistan & Iran connecting extended routes to Russian Republics.
"Unprovoked" firing by Indians, as the title of this news report screams? But if India has really been firing at Pakistani objects, then it was compelled to do that. Pakistani media, which has long lost its credibility because of its highly biased and almost propagandistic character, report about the "ceasefire violations". Should this have truly transpired, then the Indian media would have been the first to uncover; on the contrary, as any one reading the website of any Indian publication will discover, Indian media speaks of "provocative and endless firing" by Pakistani army, apparently, to provide cover to the militants who cross the Indian border to carry out their nefarious activities. Indians have become cynical about the credibility of Pakistani media, given their tendentious reporting and distorting facts. Can we help it? Not really! The tragic part of the firing, however, is the loss of innocent civilian lives, on both sides, which is the high price for any misadventure on the part of Pakistanis. .
Funny how Pakistan army started this game and is now blaming India. Maybe they didn't know the govt changed here. Any ceasefire violations will be met with equal or greater force by Indian army now. Pakistan needs to stop this. This may help bring Kashmir to focus in world media and everything, but they're not goin to get even a inch of Indian soil and India doesn't care if Pakistan cries Kashmir everyday to the world.
Pakistan has never told truth about any thing, like Bangladesh slaughter, Kargil war, all other wars with India, playing taliban in Afghanistan. Both India and Pakistan claim the other party is firing unprovoked. Truth is Indians have now decided to fight back.