Unprovoked firing: Army chief visits LoC amid fresh truce violation by Indian troops

Indian deputy high commissioner summoned

RAWALPINDI: Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited troops deployed along the Line of Control in Nikial Sector on Saturday – the day six Kashmiri civilians were injured in fresh unprovoked firing by Indian troops.

The army chief was briefed on the high state of operational readiness, effective response to Indian ceasefire violations and high morale of Pakistani troops, the military’s media wing, the ISPR, said in a statement.

Gen Qamar also visited parents of Lieutenant Khawar at his home who embraced martyrdom during an operation in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He hailed the supreme sacrifice of the officer and his family for the motherland. Rawalpindi Corps Commander Lt Gen Nadeem Raza accompanied the army chief.



Meanwhile, unprovoked firing by Indian border forces along the LoC continued unabated on Saturday. Indian forces violated the ceasefire in Karela, Kotkoterra, Khuiratta, Sabzkot, Baroh, Tandar and Khanjar sectors. According to the ISPR, Pakistani troops effectively tackled the Indian aggression; however, three civilians in the Kotkoterra sector suffered injuries during the exchange of fire.

PR: 259/17
COAS visited Nikial Sector along LOC. Briefed on operational readiness and response to Indian CFVs. (1 of 2) pic.twitter.com/n72KnxURRH

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) May 13, 2017

COAS visited parents of Shaheed Lt Khawar who embraced shahadat during an op in Bannu.Hailed their supreme sacrifice for motherland.(2 of 2) pic.twitter.com/5fbs59fVtW

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) May 13, 2017

Any misadventure by the Indian army across the LoC will be responded with full force and could lead to unintended consequences, ISPR’s Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said in a statement. “Indian army has been targeting innocent civilians on both sides of LoC.”

India’s Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh was summoned to protest persistent firing by the forces along the LoC, the Foreign Office said in a statement. He was handed a communiqué which stated that the ceasefire violations must be stopped forthwith. “India must bring an end to incidents of unprovoked firing,” it said.

Last week, India accused Pakistani forces of killing two soldiers patrolling the LoC and mutilating their bodies. Pakistan Army denied the allegations and said it had not committed any ceasefire violations.