ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner on Wednesday to lodge a protest against unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian security forces in Harpal sector.

A civilian, Mohammad Shareef, was killed in firing by Indian troops, a statement issued by the FO said.

Indian security forces also resorted to unprovoked firing in Jandrot, Nakyal and Karela sectors, due to which another civilian was killed and four others were injured.

The FO’s director-general for South Asia and Saarc conveyed to the Indian diplomat Pakistan’s concern over “continuous unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian security forces along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary”.

“Pakistan urged India to immediately stop the violations and observe the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding,” the statement said.—APP

Tariq Naqash adds from Muzaffarabad: An elderly woman was killed as shelling from across the LoC continued on Wednesday.

Noor Begum, 75, widow of Lal Mohammad, died after a shell landed in the courtyard of her house in Dheri Dabsi village of Nakyal sector, Deputy Commissioner of Kotli, Sardar Adnan Khurshid, told Dawn.

The Nakyal sector, located in Kotli district, is being constantly targeted by Indian troops with light and heavy weapons.

Of the seven deaths during the current spell of cross-border shelling, six have taken place in Nakyal sector alone, and one in Nezapir sector of Haveli district.

Around 32 people have been injured, 27 of them in Nakyal sector.

Mr Khurshid said that shelling had damaged at least 16 houses in Nakyal sector, forcing around 100 people to flee from the vulnerable areas and temporarily live with their relatives in the rear and safe areas.

“The situation is critical,” he said.

Meanwhile, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed condemned “unprovoked and indiscriminate” shelling by Indian troops and called upon the international community to “stop India from destroying peace in the nuclear South Asia”.

Schools were shut down in the Nakyal sector because of the shelling, said Javed Budhanvi, an AJK minister. He said hundreds of villagers had fled to safe places, adds APP.

The two sides blamed each other for starting the shelling.

Lt Col Manish Mehta, an Indian army spokesman, blamed Pakistan for starting the “unprovoked firing”, saying Pakistani soldiers fired machine guns and mortar rounds and that the Indian troops retaliated.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

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