Unabated violations: Girl killed in ‘unprovoked’ Indian shelling
Indian BSF fires dozens of mortar shells on villages in Zafarwal and Shakargarh sectors
Roof of a house in Shakargarh sector near the Sialkot working boundary which was damaged by Indian shelling. PHOTO: INP
NAROWAL:
Heavy and unprovoked shelling by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) killed a teenage girl and injured a minor in Zafarwal and Shakargarh sectors along the Sialkot Working Boundary Saturday morning.
According to senior officials of the Chenab Rangers, heavy shelling by the BSF on Sialkot border villages in Zafarwal and Shakargarh sectors continued intermittently throughout Saturday. The officials confirmed that the BSF fired dozens of mortar shells at the civilian population and damaged dozens of houses.
The BSF fired several mortar shells on Chak Nehala village in Zafarwal sector. A 16-year-old girl, Sumera Bibi, d/o Manzur Ahmed, was hit by shrapnel and died on the spot. In Chak Bheka village, in Shakargarh sector, an eight-year-old child, Mursileen, s/o Muhammad Aslam, was critically injured when mortar shells fired by the BSF slammed into a house. He was admitted to the CMH Sialkot, where his condition was stated to be critical.
Residents of border villages in Zafarwal sector have started shifting to safer places. Around 35 villages threatened by the Indian firing include Sakhmal, Abyal Dogar, Derman, Chak Nehala, Chak Bheka, Sakror, Tada, Tawana, Tarapor Taba, Lehri and Chak Jaggu. A large number of residents from these villages have shifted to state-run schools in Lesser Kalan.
Meanwhile, Sector Commander Chenab Rangers Brig Waseem said the BSF was targeting innocent people in the border villages along the Sialkot Working Boundary.
The rangers were retaliating effectively, he added. In the night, the BSF once again resorted to intense unprovoked firing with heavy weapons, targeting civilian population. Chenab Rangers returned the fire in a befitting manner, reportedly causing Indian troops heavy losses.
In Islamabad, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that apparently India did not understand the language of peace. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, he said Pakistan had been working hard trying to maintain peace for the past six months, but now it seemed India would have to be taught in their own language.
The minister said the issue of Indian aggressiveness has already been raised on multiple forums, and now the government was considering taking it up with the United Nations. “I believe, we will now communicate with India in the language they understand,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2015.
Heavy and unprovoked shelling by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) killed a teenage girl and injured a minor in Zafarwal and Shakargarh sectors along the Sialkot Working Boundary Saturday morning.
According to senior officials of the Chenab Rangers, heavy shelling by the BSF on Sialkot border villages in Zafarwal and Shakargarh sectors continued intermittently throughout Saturday. The officials confirmed that the BSF fired dozens of mortar shells at the civilian population and damaged dozens of houses.
The BSF fired several mortar shells on Chak Nehala village in Zafarwal sector. A 16-year-old girl, Sumera Bibi, d/o Manzur Ahmed, was hit by shrapnel and died on the spot. In Chak Bheka village, in Shakargarh sector, an eight-year-old child, Mursileen, s/o Muhammad Aslam, was critically injured when mortar shells fired by the BSF slammed into a house. He was admitted to the CMH Sialkot, where his condition was stated to be critical.
Residents of border villages in Zafarwal sector have started shifting to safer places. Around 35 villages threatened by the Indian firing include Sakhmal, Abyal Dogar, Derman, Chak Nehala, Chak Bheka, Sakror, Tada, Tawana, Tarapor Taba, Lehri and Chak Jaggu. A large number of residents from these villages have shifted to state-run schools in Lesser Kalan.
Meanwhile, Sector Commander Chenab Rangers Brig Waseem said the BSF was targeting innocent people in the border villages along the Sialkot Working Boundary.
The rangers were retaliating effectively, he added. In the night, the BSF once again resorted to intense unprovoked firing with heavy weapons, targeting civilian population. Chenab Rangers returned the fire in a befitting manner, reportedly causing Indian troops heavy losses.
In Islamabad, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that apparently India did not understand the language of peace. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, he said Pakistan had been working hard trying to maintain peace for the past six months, but now it seemed India would have to be taught in their own language.
The minister said the issue of Indian aggressiveness has already been raised on multiple forums, and now the government was considering taking it up with the United Nations. “I believe, we will now communicate with India in the language they understand,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2015.