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Friday, October 4, 2024

Line of Control crisis: Two women killed by Indian firing

News Analysis |

Two women were killed after Indian troops fired in Pakistan’s border village in Chaprar sector along the Sialkot Working Boundary, said DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. These are the latest deaths in an unending storm of death and destruction along the LoC.

Five other civilians including three women were injured in cross-border firing by the Indian troops, the ISPR stated further. According to ISPR, Pakistani troops gave a befitting response to unprovoked firing by the Indian troops.

The ceasefire violations are frequent along the Line of Control (LoC) and Sialkot Working Boundary, although senior officials of Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force had in November last year agreed to revive the spirit of the 2003 ceasefire accord to protect the lives of innocent people.

Perhaps it can be asserted that radical Hindutva fundamentalism has mixed with prevalent Indian hegemonic designs to propel an aggressive military policy which is manifesting in the form of death and destruction along the LoC.

On Monday, four Pakistani soldiers were martyred in result of unprovoked firing by Indian forces along Line of Control (LoC). The Pakistani forces retaliated and killed three Indian soldiers while several were injured, ISPR mentioned. These are the latest deaths in a continuing cycle of death and destruction that has been raging in the LoC.

According to a press release by ISPR, the Indian Border Forces started firing at Kotli and Jandrot Sectors along LoC. The military media wing further said that Indian forces started firing when Pakistani soldiers were working on the boundary line.

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An Indian Army non commissioned officer was killed in retaliatory firing by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on 5th January. Before that Ceasefire violations such as artillery duels and drone crossings have become the norm along the Line of Control (LoC) despite the leadership of Pakistan Rangers and India’s Border Security Forces agreeing in November 2017 that the “spirit” of a 2003 ceasefire agreement must be revived to protect innocent lives.

The driver of the van, carrying 20 students of a private school, died on the spot as the vehicle came under attack in Nakyal sector of Kotli district. Before that on November 23rd,

These are the latest incident of attacks across the LoC. Last year, the Indian forces carried out more than 871 ceasefire violations along the (LoC) and the WB, resulting in the killing of 39 innocent civilians and injuries to 144, compared to 382 ceasefire violations in 2016, according to a Foreign Ministry tally. According to latest figures, in 2018 the Indian forces have carried out more than 70 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.

Pakistan has maintained that India must respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two neighboring countries and maintain peace on the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary. Pakistan has also urged that the Indian side should permit the United Nations Military Observers group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

Read more: Former Indian Occupied Kashmir Chief Minister denies Modi’s claims

Ceasefire violations are a frequent feature along the Line of Control (LoC) despite the leadership of Pakistan Rangers and India’s Border Security Forces agreeing in November 2017 that the “spirit” of a 2003 ceasefire agreement must be revived to protect innocent lives.

Some horrifying examples of targeted Indian attacks against civilians were the attack on a school bus carrying children on 15th December 2016, which led to the death of the driver and injury of at least 10 children.

Pakistan has maintained that India must respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two neighboring countries and maintain peace on the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary. Pakistan has also urged that the Indian side should permit the United Nations Military Observers group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

Indian aggression along the LOC has often been detrimental to peace prospects between both nations. On 8th September 2017, The General Officer Commander-in-Chief (GOC-C) of the Kashmir-based Northern Command, Lt Gen Devraj Anbu said that his forces will cross the Line of Control (LoC) and target its enemies whenever the need arises.

Read more: Indian troops kill Jaish-e-Mohammad commander in Indian Occupied Kashmir

He warned Pakistan that it needs to stop its infiltration attempts and those that are allegedly stoking violence in Indian-occupied Kashmir. “When we want to we will be able to breach it (LoC), go across and strike when we need,” said the three-star general in Udhampur days after his Chief said that the army should prepare for a two-front war with China and Pakistan.

Pakistan has maintained that India must respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two neighboring countries and maintain peace on the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary.

Indian military attacks have come in many forms. The most common have been artillery barrages which have been indiscriminately used against both Pakistani military targets and civilians. Some horrifying examples of targeted Indian attacks against civilians were the attack on a school bus carrying children on 15th December 2016, which led to the death of the driver and injury of at least 10 children.

Read more: Former Indian Home Minister cites Kashmir as area of ‘dispute’

The driver of the van, carrying 20 students of a private school, died on the spot as the vehicle came under attack in Nakyal sector of Kotli district. Before that on November 23rd, nine people were killed when Indian troops targeted a passenger bus in AJK’s Lawat area.

Perhaps it can be asserted that radical Hindutva fundamentalism has mixed with prevalent Indian hegemonic designs to propel an aggressive military policy which is manifesting in the form of death and destruction along the LoC.