Can't rule out Indian involvement in Barnala explosion: AJK president

Sardar Masood Khan expresses his grief over the incident

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan, while condemning the explosion in which five Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom Wednesday, did not rule out Indian involvement in the incident.

“The incident is evident of state-sponsored terrorism by India violating bilateral ceasefire agreement and the international rules,” the ISPR had said in a statement following the attack in AJK's Barnala Tehsil.

Khan expressed grief over the incident, and extended his heartfelt sympathies to the families of the martyrs.

"India has constantly been violating the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement targeting civilian population," he added.

Five soldiers martyred in blast near LoC

The AJK president paid tribute to the officers and troops for offering matchless sacrifices in defending geographical frontiers of the country.

He denounced the ceasefire violations by Indian occupation forces, adding that the "latest incident has once again established that India is the sole enemy of peace and stability in the region”.

He said New Delhi was mistaken to believe that such acts could deter the Kashmiri people from their stance against India’s illegal occupation of their motherland.

The AJK president called upon the international community to take strong exception to the situation, and play its role in addressing the root cause of tension between Pakistan and India.