Army kills five Indian soldiers in ‘befitting’ response

Indian troops continue unprovoked firing for a third consecutive day in Tatta Pani sector

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army responded ‘befittingly’ to continued ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the Line of Control on Saturday, killing five Indian soldiers and wounding several more in the Tatta Pani sector near Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Inter-Services Public Relations said.

According to the military’s media wing, Pakistan troops also destroyed several Indian army bunkers while retaliating to the unprovoked firing which took place a day after the United Nations expressed concern over escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Indian forces have killed at least five civilians and wounded another 30 on the Pakistani side of the LoC in more than 400 ceasefire violations since the year began, ISPR data shows. At least five of the civilians have been wounded in Indian army shelling since June 1.

Indian troops also fired upon a vehicle carrying UN observers who were visiting the LoC to verify Pakistan’s claim of Indian provocation.



“The situation [in Kashmir] continues to be of concern to us,” the spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guetteres said in response to a question by a Pakistani journalist at his regular noon briefing. “The secretary general is monitoring the situation … he is watching,” Stephane Dujarric added.

Some defence analysts believe the new wave of unabated LoC violations by Indian troops are part of a bid to divert international attention from the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), which has witnessed heightened unrest since Indian security forces killed young separatist leader Burhan Wani last July.

Wani’s killing has fomented the uprising in the volatile valley and Indian attempts to quell it have only fanned the flames. Dozens of people, mostly youngsters, have been killed and hundreds have been injured. Some of the casualties now suffer from life-long disabilities due to Indian forces’ heavy-handed clampdown measures.

Many videos showing Indian brutalities in IOK have also emerged during the current unrest. One such video that went viral showed Indian troops using a Kashmir man as a human shield against protesters who pelt security forces by tying him to an army vehicle.



The Indian army chief commended that move, provoking strong condemnation from around the world. Most recently, the head of the Human Rights Watch criticised the Indian army chief by saying he had shown criminal leadership.

A Foreign Office official said Pakistan is set to approach the UN Security Council and other international bodies to highlight human rights violations by Indian forces in IOK.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz recently told the Senate that he would write letters to the UN secretary general, the UNSC, the secretary general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to seek their intervention.