Pakistan tensions: Sporadic firing in restive Kashmir border kills 9

Pakistan’s national security adviser Sartaj Aziz was scheduled to visit New Delhi on Sunday for two-day talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

Following yesterday’s firing, the Foreign Office had summoned Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan T.C.A. Raghavan and had lodged a strong protest with him “over continued LOC/working boundary violations“.

Earlier this month another nine people were killed and many more wounded in another eruption of gunfire. “The shelling was so heavy that mortar bombs landed deep inside villages much away from the IB”, said a police officer from the area. The Pakistani assault involved small arms and mortars, prompting a response from Indian border guards, the official said.

According to a spokesperson of Pakistani Rangers, six civilians have been killed from their side while 48 others are being treated for the wounds they have suffered through bullets in the town of Sialkot.

Indian Border Security Force resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling in couple of areas where they encountered befitting response from Pakistan’s Chenab Rangers. Government sources say India was hoping to use the meeting as an opportunity to detail incidents of cross-border infiltration, and to prevent future attacks such as the recent one at Gurdaspur.

The Chief of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has said that India is disregarding global conventions and norms, and has crossed all limits to terrorise Pakistan’s civilian population.

In Sialkot, the sporadic fire exchanges were still continuing at several points, said an official of the Chenab Rangers, a Pakistani force that mans the border in Punjab province. “I remind the public and the central government that if an understanding (on the ceasefire) with Pakistan could be reached in the Vajpayee era, a similar agreement can and needs to be negotiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi”, senior PDP leader and MLC Vikramaditya Singh said.

“We will counter this situation on all levels”.

At least eight people were killed on Friday in villages along the Working Boundary in the bloodiest ceasefire violations by India this year.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training insurgents fighting for Kashmir’s independence from India or its merger with Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies. “Pakistani troops initially exercised restraint however, responded befittingly when India started heavy firing”.