Indian troops martyr 4 civilians, soldier along LoC to ‘ward off humiliation’

Indian Army in a bid to “ward off humiliation” resorted to targeting civilian population along the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in the martyrdom of four civilians and one Pakistan Army soldier.

In a statement on Friday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on the night between November 7 and 8, Indian troops reportedly had an encounter with freedom fighters in Kupwara district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), wherein it suffered casualties including its four soldiers were killed.

“To ward off the humiliation faced by Indian Army in front of domestic audience, instead of finding the reasons from within and addressing the same, on 13 November 2020, Indian Army opted for resorting to unprovoked and indiscriminate fire of all calibres, including artillery and heavy mortars, along LoC in various sectors of AJK [Azad Jammu and Kashmir],” the military’s media wing said.

The targeted areas included Neelum Valley (Nekrun, Kel, Sharda, Dudhnial, Shahkot, Jura, Nauseri sectors), Leepa Valley (Danna, Mandal and Kayani sectors), Jhelum Valley (Chham and Pandu sectors), and Bagh Valley (Pirkanthi, Sankh, Haji Pir, Bedori and Kailer sectors).

In this deliberate attempt, the ISPR said that Indian Army did not limit itself to engagement of military posts/positions, rather, in utter disregard to all international obligations and human rights, targeted civil population martyring four civilians and wounding 12 others.

In response to the provocative act, the Pakistan soldiers gave a befitting reply to the Indian troops, and effectively targeted those posts which targeted innocent civilians.

As a result, substantial losses, both in terms of men and material, have been incurred on to Indian troops which have also been accepted by Indian media, the ISPR said, adding that confirmed losses are much higher than being acknowledged.

In this valiant act, one brave soldier of Pakistan Army embraced shahadat [martyrdom] while five others got injured. “Such cowardly acts of targeting innocent civilians reflect sheer lack of morality, utter un-professionalism and total disregard to human rights by the Indian army and are also clear violation of ceasefire understanding of 2003.”

The official statement reiterated that Pakistan is a peace loving country and the Pakistan Army pursue the same aspirations.

“However, we stand committed to defend the motherland and our Kashmiri brethren even at the cost of our blood and lives. We assure, that all such provocative acts shall continue to be responded in the same coin.”