ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has told India that continued ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and Working Boundary can “invoke an unbearable response”.
In an unscheduled hot line contact between directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of the two countries, Indian army was conveyed that targeting of civilians was “highly unprofessional and unethical”, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Saturday.
The development came a day after Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa said Pakistan Army was always ready to respond to any threats across the country’s eastern border with India.
“There cannot be any let up for our preparedness for response against perpetual threat on our eastern border, including LoC and Line of Actual Contact (LAC),” he was quoted as saying during his visit to Headquarters Rawalpindi Corps. Indian occupation forces on Friday violated the ceasefire in Chirikot and Nezapir sectors, martyring two civilians, and injuring five others, including two women.
Separately on Saturday, an Indian air force commando was killed during a fierce gunbattle in Indian-held Kashmir, which also left another soldier injured, the Indian military said.
The shootout began when soldiers cordoned off a neighbourhood in the northern area of Hajin following a tip-off that armed gunmen were hiding there, said army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia.
“Five gunmen have been killed in the operation,” Kalia said. “One India Air Force soldier was killed and another army soldier was injured.”
On Friday, a gunman and a police officer were killed in the outskirts of Srinagar during a brief shootout.
Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Kashmir’s mostly Muslim population and most people support the independence cause. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.
Published in Daily Times, November 19th 2017.
