ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: Three civilians, including a girl, were killed and five others were injured in shelling by Indian troops in Olding sector along the Line of Control in Baltistan on Wednesday.

When contacted, Northern Areas Deputy Chief Executive Haji Fida Mohammad Nashad condemned the shelling by Indian troops.

He said that since the Kargil war in 1999, Indian troops had been targeting civilian population in Olding, Minimerg, Gultari and Shyoke sectors of Baltistan, killing dozens of people and rendering thousands homeless and crippled.

He said Raza, 46, son of Hussain; Sajjad, 16, son of Darwesh; and Hajara, 13, daughter of Mohammad, of Memushthang were killed in the firing on Wednesday and five people, including two women, were wounded.

The injured are: Mohammad, 50, son of Hussain; Ruqiya, 30, daughter of Mohammad; Bano, 35, daughter of Mohammad; Ahmad Hussain, 7, son of Mohammad; and Zohara, 19, daughter of Raza.

He said they had been taken to the Hamzagond hospital.

He said three of the injured were stated to be in critical condition. He called upon the international community to stop India from targeting the civilian population.—APP

Our staff correspondent in Muzaffarabad adds: The vehicle of an AJK police officer was hit in the Neelum valley by India’s machine-gun fire from across the Line of Control on Tuesday, sources said here on Wednesday.

Deputy Superintendent Police Raja Shabbir was coming to Kundal Shahi from the upper belt of the valley in his official jeep, AJKD-9818, when he came under Indian fire near Lala village on Tuesday night, sources said.

The machine-gun fire hit the rear of the vehicle smashing its windows and a bullet pierced into the fuel tank. However, the driver managed to take the vehicle out of the firing range, sources said.