close
Saturday April 05, 2025

Two Indian copters intrude into Pakistan

One martyred in shelling across Working Boundary; Punjab Rangers silence enemy’s guns; area people moving to safer locations

By our correspondents
August 19, 2015
SIALKOT: Two Indian helicopters on Tuesday intruded into Pakistan, violating the Working Boundary and flew close to the ground creating panic in the area.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Dr Asif Tufail said the people were sleeping in their homes in Sialkot border villages when the BSF started unprovoked heavy mortar shelling in Sucheetgarh and Charwah sectors.
A Pakistani civilian, Muhammad Shareef, 60, son of Allah Wadaya, was martyred in unprovoked intensified mortar shelling by the Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) in the Sialkot border village Thathi Khurd of Sucheetgarh Sector along the Sialkot Working Boundary.
According to senior officials, the Punjab Rangers retaliated instantly and effectively makingthe Indian guns silent. Reportedly, one Indian soldier was killed in the firing and Indian Army left the frontline posts which were a target of the Punjab Rangers.
The DCO said that Muhammad Shareef was sleeping in the courtyard of his house in village Thathi Khurd, Sucheetgarh, when some mortar shells hit him, killing him on the spot. His house was also badly damaged by the Indian shells, he added.
As many as six cattle were also reportedly killed by the Indian shelling while more than two dozen cattle were injured in these villages. Martyred Muhammad Shareef was laid to rest in his native graveyard. A large number of people from all walks of life attended his funeral.
As many as 50 houses of people in the Sialkot border villages of Charwah, Dhamaala, Rangor, Bhagiyaari in Charwah sector and villages Thathi Khurd, Sucheetgarh, Thathi Kalan, Kulhar, Thathi Meendarwal and surroundings in Sucheetgarh Sector of Sialkot were damaged.
According to the local people, they were sleeping in their houses early in the morning when the Indian BSF started unprovoked heavy mortar shelling targeting the civilian population there.
A local woman, Misbah Bibi, said the local people took shelter in the paved houses in village Thathi Khurd to

save their lives. Local councilor Muhamamd Younas said that the Indian shelling created panic and harassment among the local people. Malik Asad, Ch Latif Wains, Manzur Hussain, Kubra Bibi and Muhammad Hussain said that the Indian BSF showered heavy mortar shells due to which more than 50 houses were badly damaged in these villages. Educational institutions in the area have been closed.
Most of the local people were shifting and moving towards safer places. Some have gone to relief camps and others to houses of their relatives. The administration has declared high alert to deal with any untoward incident. It has been learnt that India is planning a big attack in Azad Kashmir.
After LoC, India has turned the Working Boundary into a war zone. Having killed innocent people on the LoC in unprovoked firing in the last 10 days, India has unleashed unprovoked firing on the Working Boundary. Pakistan has strongly protested with India over the ceasefire violations.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged India and Pakistan to show restraint following clashes in the disputed region of Kashmir that have caused deaths on both the sides.Ban said an upcoming meeting of security chiefs on August 23-24 could help bolster the dialogue between the two countries.
Ban expressed “serious concern about the recent escalation of violence” and urged both India and Pakistan “to exercise maximum restraint and take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of civilians.”