ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and lodged strong protest over the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian troops along the Line of Control, wherein 15 civilians and three soldiers were martyred.
Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale was summoned to the Foreign Office on Wednesday and conveyed strong condemnation of the unprovoked ceasefire violations, resulting in the martyrdom of 15 innocent civilian and three soldiers including an officer of the Army.
The High Commissioner was told that the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas was highly deplorable. In the demarche handed over to the Indian HC, Pakistan asked India to respect the ceasefire agreement.
It is to be mentioned here that three Pakistan Army soldiers and 15 civilian were martyred in unprovoked firing on Line of Control (LoC) by Indian Army.
On Wednesday three Pakistani soldiers including Captain Taimur Ali, Hawaldar Mustaq and Lance Naik Ghulam Hussain were martyred. Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said that Pakistan Army while responding the provocation befittingly, killed seven Indian soldiers.
Earlier, at least 15 civilian were martyred and 23 others injured when Indian army shelled a passengers bus near Neelum valley and civilian population along the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the India Army targeted a passenger bus in Nelum Valley in AJK wherein seven passengers were martyred while eight other injured.
“Due to Indian unprovoked firing on a civil bus at Neelam valley this morning, number of civilians who embraced shahadat rises to 7,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. It added: “Indian forces also fired on ambulance which went for evacuate,” the statement added.
Police said that a coaster bearing number MDAJK-3866 was heading towards Muzaffarabad from Kel when it was attacked by India Army with mortar shells near Lawat Kanari Bala. Pakistan army retaliated and attacked the Indian forces posts.
Local people rushed to the spot and shifted the injured people to district headquarters hospital Athmuqam where four were declared dead and six others were stated to be in a critical condition.
In another incident, four two civilian were martyred in Indian shelling in Tata Pani sector. The India Army also targeted civilian population in Kotli sector too.
The Indian Army has also targeted civilian population in Shahkot, Jura, Battal Karela, Bagh, Bagsar, Ponj and Nakeyal sectors, causing casualties.
ISPR said that Pakistani troops in retaliation targeted Indian posts.
Meanwhile, those martyred in shelling on the passenger bus were identified as Mukhtar Shah, Muhammad Younas, Ahmad and Arif Mustafai while body of a child is yet to be identified. Those injured in the incident were identified as Raja Gulfam, driver of the coash, police personnel Bashir Ahmad, Shafi Bhat, Sultan, Fazl Hussain, Manzoor Ahmad, Jawad Sultan, Imran and Sharafat Shah.
