ISLAMABAD — Unconfirmed reports say that as many as ten civilians may have been killed and dozeons injured in border firing along Pakistan-India borders since early Friday morning. A Pakistani Army spokesman said earlier that at least six persons had been martyred and 46 others including twenty-two women injured in unprovoked Indian shelling on the working boundary.
According to Pakistan Army’s media department (ISPR) said the Indian troops resorted to shelling in Sialkot, Chaprar, and Harpal sectors. Kangan Pur and Bajra Garhi villages have been affected badly in the firing.
Pakistani officials reported that “Six civilians embraced shahadat [martyrdom] and 46 were severely injured including 22 females due to Indian unprovoked firing/shelling on working boundary near Sialkot in Chaprar and Harpal sector,” a statement from the Pakistani military said, adding that they had returned fire. Both sides claim that they retaliated the firing.
Meanwhile an Indian Border Security Force (BSF) official in Indian-controlled Kashmir, accused Pakistan of specifically targeting civilians with “unprovoked” mortar fire.
“Four villagers died in the shelling from across the border, three of them were killed early morning and one died of injuries in a hospital later,” Pawan Kotwal, the top administrator said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Barjees Tahir has condemned unprovoked Indian firing on the working boundary. In a statement, he urged the international community to take notice of the Indian cowardly acts. He said Pakistan will not budge an inch from its principled stand on Kashmir. He said that the success of Pakistan military’s Operation Zarb-e-Azb and dismantling of RAW network in Pakistan have unnerved India.
