SIALKOT: At least two people were killed in Sialkot on Thursday in latest firing by Indian troops along the working boundary between India and Pakistan raising the number of deaths in the past few days to 12 and injured to 43, sources in the Chenab Rangers said, adding that they retaliated the attack.
Several buildings were also damaged during the incident and the exchange of fire was ongoing at the time of the filing of this report.
The deceased include a man and a woman who were killed when hit in the Harpal village of Charwah Sector. Moreover, one person was injured in the incident.
The situation along the India-Pakistan working boundary is still volatile as a heavy exchange of fire continues.
"Pakistani troops are effectively responding to Indian firing on [the] working boundary as well as [the] Line of Control," military sources told Dawn.
Sources said that Pakistani troops are responding to the unprovoked Indian firing and are only targeting military positions and not civilian areas as claimed by the Indian military.
The military sources further stated that due to an effective response by the Pakistan army, Indian forces have suffered heavy losses at the working boundary near Sialkot.
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| Pakistani residents gather at a damaged house, allegedly caused by shells fired by Indian troops, at the Dhamala border village near the city of Sialkot in Punjab on October 8, 2014. — Photo by AFP |
In-pictures: Civilians suffer as firing continues along Indo-Pak border
Early on Tuesday, at least three people were killed during firing in Sialkot’s Chaprar sector. Whereas, on Wednesday, a man who was injured in mortar shell attacks in the Charwah sector of Sialkot succumbed to his injuries.
In the past four days, 12 civilians have been killed and at least over two dozen have been wounded in firing along a stretch of the disputed border and working boundary between India and Pakistan.
Also read: Footprints: Back from the brink
The Foreign Ministry had said it had lodged a protest with Indian diplomats over the killings of Pakistani civilians, saying the firing was “in complete disregard” of the Eidul Azha festival being celebrated.
India reports three killed raising number of deaths to 17
According to a report published in Hindustan Times, at least three people were killed in overnight firing at the International Border in Kanachak raising the number of deaths to 17 during a week of cross border firing between India and Pakistan.
India rules out talks with Pakistan
According to Times of India, India is ready to halt the ongoing cross border firing in Jammu and Kashmir and Indian government officials have declared there won’t be any talks with Pakistan until the border tension is resolved.
Speaking on the issue of border tension, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "everything will be fine soon", the TOI reported, adding that sources in the Indian security establishment said India would not allow Pakistan to dictate terms during talks.
"We are prepared for the long haul...our massive and targeted retaliation is not going to stop. If talks or flag meetings are held, it will be on our terms and only after Pakistan stops firing," TOI quoted a security source as saying.
Background
In December last year, Pakistan and India had pledged to uphold the 2003 LoC ceasefire accord which had been left in tatters by repeated violations that year. The truce breaches had put the nascent bilateral peace dialogue on hold.
The directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of the two countries had agreed to a number of steps to keep the ceasefire accord intact.
The meeting had taken place on the initiative of the political leadership of the two countries for ending tensions along the LoC.
The Himalayan territory of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by the UN-monitored de facto border of LoC but is claimed in full by both the countries.
Ceasefire violations along the LoC and working boundary between Pakistan and India continue intermittently, with casualties reported on both sides.
