'India has imposed an undeclared war at LoC'

AJK president says India is intentionally creating a war-like situation at LoC

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has vehemently condemned the shelling on civilians by Indian occupying forces from across the Line of Control (LoC) in different sectors of Azad Kashmir.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the egregious act of aggression that killed at least six civilian, injured several others and caused huge loss to the properties in Azad Kashmir,” the president said on Sunday, terming it a cowardly act of the enemy.

He said that India had imposed an undeclared war on the liberated territory by pounding over a dozen villages from Noseeri to Nagdar in Neelum valley, Leepa and Khuairatta sectors of Kotli district.

"We have been stressing since long that after declaring occupied Kashmir as its colony, India is set to attack Azad Kashmir as its next target," he said, adding that the international community, including the United Nations, should take strict notice of India's aggression.

The AJK president said that these cowardly acts were designed to divert attention of the international community from India's crimes against humanity in occupied Kashmir, and to prevent Pakistan and the people of Azad Kashmir from supporting the liberation struggle of their brethren in the occupied territory.

"India is intentionally creating a war-like situation at the Line of Control, and is escalating tensions which may ignite a large-scale war between Pakistan and India at any time," he said.

Nine Indian soldiers killed, several injured in LoC exchange: ISPR

Khan warned that if Indian shelling on the civilian population of Azad Kashmir continued, the people of the liberated territory would have no option but to take up arms to counter India's aggression.

While paying glowing tributes to the armed forces of the country for defending Azad Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan said that every citizen of the liberated territory was ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Pakistan Army to thwart the heinous designs of the enemy.

He expressed sympathy with the families of those martyred and injured by the unprovoked Indian shelling in Falakan, Jurabandi, Ashkot, Sandooq, Mirpura, Kundal Shahi, Leswa, Nauseri and Nausada areas of Neelum valley and Leepa Valley and Khuiratta sectors.

Earlier, addressing the Kashmir conference organised by Pakistan Association and Bristol Kashmir Foundation in Bristol, the AJK president said that despite India's repressive and fascist tactics, the Kashmiri people would neither give up their struggle nor accept the slavery of India.

He appreciated the international media and human rights organisations for constantly exposing the inhumane actions of the Indian army.

Khan, however, regretted that governments around the world had turned a blind eye to India's brutalities due to economic and political interests.