Unprovoked Indian firing: Seven soldiers martyred at LoC

Pakistani troops respond effectively; kill several Indian soldiers; Indian bunkers also destroyed; COAS attends funeral of martyred soldiers; vows to leave no stone unturned for defence of motherland; PM says India escalating tension to divert world’s attention from IHK situation; Indian high commissioner summoned again; warned of tough response

RAWALPINDI: Seven soldiers of the Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom at the Line of Control (LoC) in the Bhimber sector as a result of unprovoked firing in violation of ceasefire by the Indian troops late on Sunday.

Confirming the martyrdom of Pakistani soldiers, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday stated that Pakistani troops were responding to unprovoked Indian firing and targeting the Indian posts effectively.

Several Indian soldiers were killed and their bunkers were destroyed in effective response of the Pakistani troops.Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Monday attended the funeral prayers of the martyred soldiers in Jhelum.

Director General, ISPR, Lieutenant General Asim Salim Bajwa, in a tweet said the COAS paid rich tributes to the valour and unmatched sacrifices rendered by the soldiers of the Pakistan Army.

General Raheel was later briefed on the situation at the LoC. The COAS reiterated that the Pakistan Army will continue to respond effectively and leave no stone unturned to defend the motherland.

The soldiers who laid down their lives while defending the motherland included Havaldar Zafar Hussain from Murree, Havaldar Ibrar Ahmed Awan from Muzaffarabad, Lance Naik Muhammad Shaukat from Kahuta, Lance Naik Muhammad Haleem from Lakki Marwat, Sepoy Pervez from Authmuqam, Sepoy Muhammad Ilyas from Talagang and Sepoy Muhammad Tanveer from Samahni area of Azad Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office (FO) once again summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to lodge a protest and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Indian occupation forces on the LoC.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry deplored the increasing Indian ceasefire violations at the LoC and the Working Boundary, especially in the last two months. This was against the 2003 ceasefire understanding and the principles of international law. He emphasised that this belligerent attitude of Indian occupation forces was a serious threat to the regional peace and security and may lead to strategic miscalculation.

The foreign secretary asked the Indian high commissioner to convey to his government that it must stop the provocative firing and observe the ceasefire.

Aizaz said Pakistan was pursuing a policy of restraint, which should not be construed as a sign of weakness. He underlined that the armed forces of Pakistan do not initiate fire but will always respond in a befitting manner if fired upon. He said the Pakistani troops will effectively respond if the Indian side continued the aggression.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in a hard-hitting statement while condemning the Indian firing across the LoC, reminded the Indians that Pakistan is fully capable of defending its soil against any aggression.

The prime minister said India is escalating tension onthe LoC only to detract the world’s attention from the grave human rights situation in IHK being perpetrated by the occupying forces. The prime minister expressed his profound grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives in the latest violation of the LoC by the Indian forces.

Paying tributes to the martyred Pakistani soldiers, Nawaz said that it is extremely unfortunate that Indian forces have continuously violated the ceasefire agreement at the LoC in recent days. He said that Indian forces have inflicted unspeakable atrocities against the unarmed and innocent people of IHK.

The prime minister reminded that the Indian government is failing to read the writing on the wall since an indigenous uprising against Indian occupation is underway in the occupied areas. “By creating tension at the LoC, the Indian forces are uselessly trying to divert the attention from the Kashmir issue,” he added.

Praying Almighty Allah to bless the martyred souls with eternal peace, the prime minister said that those who sacrificed their lives in defending the motherland would always be remembered and held in the highest esteem.

Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani strongly condemned the unprovoked firing by the Indian forces and said India’s war hysteria was a massive conspiracy to destroy regional peace.

In a statement, he said it was not only condemnable but also lamentable that India was targeting innocent civilians across the Line of Control. He insisted that war was not in favour of any country and advocated dialogue for resolution of disputes.

Rabbani urged the world community to take notice of Indian violation of human rights and international agreements. He sympathised with the families of the martyred Pakistani soldiers.

Meanwhile, vice president of the Pakistan People’s Party Senator Sherry Rehman strongly condemned the firing that killed seven Pakistan Army soldiers and called for an amplified diplomatic offensive against India while saying that through such actions, India aims to divert attention from its state violence in Kashmir.

While expressing sympathy for the families of the soldiers killed in the cross-border firing, she said the PPP and entire nation stand by the army and pay tribute to the martyred soldiers.

Chairman of Ansar Burney Trust Ansar Burney has also condemned the Indian forces’ aggressive and brutal act.