Islamabad: Pakistan’s army chief today claimed that there was a link between “Indian-sponsored terrorism” and violation of the ceasefire along the LoC even as the military said that eight Pakistani civilians had died in the firing. General Raheel Sharif’s comments came as he visited Rangers headquarters where he was briefed about the latest situation on the Line of Control (LoC).
The army chief alleged India had blatantly violated the ceasefire along the LoC and the international border and “crossed all limits to terrorise Pakistan’s civilian population disregarding international conventions and norms,” military spokesman Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted.
“We can sense definite linkage between terrorism being sponsored by India in various parts of Pakistan and belligerence along the LoC,” Bajwa quoted Sharif as saying. “Indian firing and violation targeting civilians is a highly unprofessional, unethical, irresponsible and cowardly act,” he said.
Bajwa claimed that eight Pakistanis including a woman and a child were killed due to Indian firing, while another 47 were injured, including 24 women and 11 children. The army chief also visited Combined Military Hospital in Sialkot and met the injured.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry summoned Indian High Commissioner T C A Raghavan and lodged a strong protest over alleged ceasefire violations, saying eight civilians were killed in firing by Indian troops.
Three Indian civilians were killed and 17 injured as Pakistani troops today pounded border areas of Jammu with heavy shelling and firing since the wee hours, in yet another ceasefire violation.
