Army chief slams India's 'cowardly' ceasefire violations

Pakistan lodges protest with Indian High Commission over ceasefire violations

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif visited the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Sialkot on Friday to inquire after those injured by the Indian firing at the working boundary in Sialkot, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

“The army chief visited CMH Sialkot to inquire about the health of injured civilians and directed the officials concerned to ensure their best possible treatment,” ISPR spokesperson Major General Asim Bajwa tweeted.

Later visited CMH Slkt to inquire abt health of injured civs.Directed concerned to ensure best possible treatment-5 pic.twitter.com/mNTP14UAL0

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 28, 2015

Read: Border firing kills 9 on Pakistan-India war anniversary

The army chief also condemned the Indian ceasefire violations in the strongest terms, terming the targeting of civilians "highly unprofessional, unethical, irresponsible and cowardly."

Indian firing and violation targeting civs is Highly unprofessional,unethical,irresponsible& cowardly act-4 pic.twitter.com/xrj8LYJ7z8

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 28, 2015

State of today's casualties due Indian Fire at WB;8 shaheed incl one woman,one child.47 injured incl 24 women& 11 children-6

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 28, 2015

Earlier, during his visit to the Sialkot working boundary, General Raheel lauded the befitting response to the Indian firing which had resulted in the killing of at least nine people while another 40 were injured.

“General Raheel Sharif visited the Sialkot working boundary and appreciated the high morale of the troops deployed on the border,” one of the tweets said.

Working Bdry#COAS visits Rangers HQ.Was Briefed latest.Appreciated high morale of deployed troops&civs.Commends Rangers'befitting response-1

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 28, 2015

Meanwhile, the COAS pointed out that India has crossed all limits to terrorise the Pakistani civilians, adding that the arch rival has completely disregarded the international conventions and norms by repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreements along working boundary and line of control.

Said,India has blatantly violated CF along WB&LOC.Crossed all limits to terrorise Pak civ population disregarding intl conventions&norms-2

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 28, 2015

General Raheel further said there is a link between the Indian sponsored terrorism in parts of Pakistan and its unprovoked shelling on our borders.

We Can sense definite linkage b/w terrorism being sponsored by India in various parts of Pak and belligerence along LOC/ WB-3

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 28, 2015

Today, when India marked the 50^th anniversary of a war between the two neighbours, the cross-border firing from Indian side of the border killed at least eight people.

Read: 203 militants killed in Shawal operation: Gen Raheel

On the Pakistani side of the frontier, six civilians were killed and more than 40 were treated for wounds in hospital in the town of Sialkot, the ISPR had said.

Pakistan lodges protest with Indian High Commission 

Pakistan lodged on Friday a protest with the Indian High Commissioner over ceasefire violation by Indian forces at Working Boundary which killed eight civilians, including a woman and a child.

"Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudry summoned Indian High Commissioner Dr T C A Raghavan and protested against the unprovoked firing from the Indian side of the border at Harpal and Chaprar that left eight civilians dead and 47 injured," a Foreign Office statement read.

The statement added that three villages namely Kundunpur, Bajra Garhi and Thati came under severe firing from Indian forces due to which many houses were damaged.

“Firing by the Indian side started at around 23:30 hours last night, when Pakistani troops confronted India for using an excavator, near the Working Boundary without following the established SOPs. Pakistani troops initially exercised restraint; however, responded befittingly when India started heavy firing. The firing ended today at 11:00 hours,” the statement read.

PM directs FO and defence authorities to take matter up with their Indian counterparts

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also expressed his concerns over the ceasefire violation and loss of innocent lives. The prime minister also directed Foreign Office and defence authorities to take the matter up with their Indian counterparts.