Unprovoked shelling: Nine dead as Indian troops shell civilian bus

Pakistan troops kill seven Indian soldiers in retaliatory fire; three Pakistani jawans martyred

MUZAFFARABAD: Indian forces targeted a passenger bus in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, killing at least nine people and wounding another nine as well.

"Indian troops targeted a civil bus near LoC [Line of Control] in Neelum Valley," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The bus en route to Muzaffarabad from Kel was hit by Indian mortars near the Lawat Kanari Bala area of Neelum Valley, some 99km from the AJK capital, police and local administration officials told The Express Tribune.

The military media arm initially put the death toll from the bus attack at four and the number of wounded at seven. But Neelum Valley police chief Jamil Mir later said the number of deaths had risen to nine.

"At least nine people have been killed," AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir confirmed at a news conference in Muzaffarabad. He accused New Delhi of deliberately targeting civilians to divert world attention from its atrocities in Occupied Kashmir and urged UN observers to take notice of the mounting civilian fatalities along the LoC.



Pakistani troops retaliated to the unprovoked shelling by attacking Indian posts and other strategic positions, killing seven Indian soldiers, the ISPR said. However, three Pakistani soldiers – Capt Taimoor Ali Khan, Havildar Mushtaq Hussain and Lance Naik Ghulam Hussain – were martyred in the exchange of fire, the military’s media wing added. The exchange continued till the filing of the report.

Following the incident, Pakistan’s director general military operations (DGMO) established hotline contact with his Indian counterpart as well, issuing him a demarche for targeting civilians on the Pakistani side of the LoC, the ISPR said.

Meanwhile, army chief General Raheel Sharif held a special meeting at the Corps Headquarters in Rawalpindi to review the situation along the LoC, particularly India’s targeting of the civilian bus, the military’s media wing added.

“Deliberate targeting of innocent civilians is unprofessional and unacceptable,” Gen Raheel observed. Appreciating the morale of troops and the most befitting response they had given to Indian troops, the army chief directed that any future violations must also get instant and effective response.

Police and local administration officials said local residents rushed to aid the passengers immediately after the bus was hit, putting their own lives at risk. They said the locals took the casualties to the Athmuqam District Headquarters Hospital, where nine people were declared dead. Of the remaining nine injured, three were determined to be critical and referred to the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hospital in Muzaffarabad.

Police said the passengers travelling in the bus were from the different areas of the Neelum Valley. Those killed in the Indian shelling were identified as Mukhtar Shah, Muhammad Younas, Ahmad, Manzoor Bashir, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Ashraf, Muhammad Rafiq, Iqbal Rashid and Zahoor Shah.  Driver Raja Gulfam, policeman Bashir Ahmad and passengers Mughal Din, Sultan, Shafi Bhat, Manzoor Ahmad,  Jawad Sultan,  Imran and  Sharafat Shah were wounded.

Indian troops also violated the ceasefire in Nakyal sector of the LoC on Wednesday, killing one villager and injuring five others. Local administration officials said the indiscriminate firing started at 8:30am. The wounded were shifted to the Nakyal basic health unit and were said to be stable.



Indian forces shelled civilian areas in the Tatta Pani region as well, injuring one civilian. Police and local administration officials also confirmed firing incidents in the Batal and Madarpur areas of district Rawalakot.

Condemnations

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned India’s unprovoked firing on the civilian bus in the strongest words, saying no responsible state can permit targeting of innocent civilians and ambulances carrying the injured.

"Despite our exercise of maximum restraint in the wake of continuing naked Indian aggression along LoC resulting in the martyrdom of innocent civilians, including children and women, India has failed to comprehend the gravity of the situation," the premier said.

"In fact, India is trying to divert the attention of the international community from the grave human rights violations and atrocities being committed by the Indian security forces in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

Prime Minister Nawaz prayed for eternal peace for martyred civilians and lauded the sacrifice of the Pakistani soldiers martyred while retaliating against Indian aggression. “The whole nation will remember this sacrifice of our valiant jawans who left no stone unturned while defending their beloved motherland," he said.

The premier added that Pakistan will never abandon their Kashmiri brethren and will continue to support them in their just and legitimate freedom struggle.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also strongly condemned the incident, saying: "After breaking all records of miserable human rights violations of the world in Occupied Kashmir, Modi's Indian Army is targeting innocent citizens across the LoC."



He too pledged that his party would continue to raise the issue of Kashmir at every national and international forum.

(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AGENCIES AND NEWS DESK)

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2016.