RAWALPINDI, Jun 24 (NNI): Two civilian have embraced shahadat and two have been critically injured in an indiscriminate fire from Indian Army onto a group of shepherds in Sattwal Sector.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, “Indian Army, in a display of its usual inhumane approach towards innocent Kashmiris, opened indiscriminate fire onto a group of shepherds in the Sattwal Sector at 1155 today.”
Shaheeds include Obaid Qayyum son of Muhammad Qayyum (Age 22 years) and Muhammad Qasim S/o Muhammad Din (Age 55 years). Both of them are resident of village Bara Dari Tetrinote, Tehsil Hajira District Poonch.
“Driven by a newfound geo-political patronage, Indian forces have embarked on a plan to take innocent lives to satiate their false narratives and concocted allegations,” the military said, in an indirect reference to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Joe Biden.
The ISPR said that Pakistan reserves the right to respond back in a manner of its choosing to protect Kashmiri lives in the LoC belt, regardless of the strong protest being launched from the Indian side.
“The Indian side is reminded to respect the basic human rights of Kashmiris, particularly, their inalienable right to till their lands,” the military’s media wing statement concluded.
Analysts termed the Indian firing extremely provocative following US-India joint statement yesterday.
In February 2021, Pakistan and India had recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire arrangement at the Line of Control and agreed to address the ‘core issues’ that could undermine peace and stability.
The surprise announcement was made in a joint statement by the militaries of the two countries on a ‘hotline contact’ between their directors general military operations (DGMOs).
The conversation between Pakistani DGMO Maj Gen Nauman Zakaria and his Indian counterpart Lt Gen Paramjit Sangha was described as “free” and “frank” and held in a “cordial atmosphere”.
The agreement reached between the two countries had taken effect a night earlier under which ceasefire violations at the LoC had ended from midnight of Feb 24 and 25, 2021.
“Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the LoC and all other sectors, with effect from midnight 24/25 February 2021,” said a statement.
Pakistan and India had in November 2003 agreed to cease fire along the LoC and the Working Boundary. The agreement held for a few years, but regular violations have occurred since 2008. A sharp spike in the truce breaches had, meanwhile, been witnessed since 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in India. In 2020 Indian troops committed over 3,000 ceasefire violations in which 28 people were martyred. NNI
