08 July 2017•Update: 09 July 2017
By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan
Pakistan on Saturday accused longtime rival India of killing at least two civilians, including a girl by "unprovoked" firing along the Line of Control - a de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir valley between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
According to Public Relations (ISPR), a mouthpiece of Pakistan army, Indian border forces resorted to unprovoked firing with small and heavy weaponry in and Satwal sectors along the LoC on Saturday morning killing two civilians and injuring three others.
Pakistan army responded to Indian firing effectively, the ISPR added in a statement.
The incident-latest in a series of border clashes since September last- follows the first death anniversary of Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Muzzaffer Wani, who was killed in an armed clash with Indian forces in occupied Kashmir last year.
Over 100 civilians and troops from both sides have been killed in scores of border clashes following a brazen militant attack on an army camp in occupied Kashmir, which killed 19 Indian soldiers in September last, which India blamed on Pakistan.
Islamabad denies the charge and has accused India of trying to divert attention from violence in Indian-held Kashmir that has killed scores of anti-India protesters.
Pakistan, meanwhile summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner, J.P. Singh to the foreign ministry and condemned the unprovoked cease-fire violations by the Indian occupation forces on Kashmir border, said a statement from the foreign ministry.
"The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws," the statement underlined.
Pakistan urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Cease-fire arrangement; investigate this and other incidents of cease-fire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the cease-fire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC, the statement concluded.
The two neighbours have fought three wars – two of them over Kashmir – since 1947 and Islamabad has repeatedly warned it would not refrain from using its nuclear arsenal in case of war with India.
