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SIALKOT: An elderly woman and a minor girl were killed and 24 others, including four children and eight women, injured in mortar shelling by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on villages along the Working Boundary on Sunday.
Local administration officials said the firing started in the small hours of Sunday morning and continued throughout the day.
Fazalaan Bibi, 60, wife of Rehmat Ali, died when mortar shells hit her dwelling in Kachi Maand village.
Nargis Fatima, the five-year-old daughter of Shahid Iqbal, also a resident Kachi Maand, was rushed to the Sialkot CMH with head injuries where she died.
BSF shelling left 24 people injured in Ghanglora, Kachi Maand, Pull Bajwaan, Sohnti Dera, Deeyawara, Pandoliyaan, Deewanpur and Kakraan .
CEO of Sialkot District Health Authority Dr Latif Sahi said the injured were taken to the Sialkot Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in critical condition by the personnel of Rescue 1122 after initial treatment at the rural health center of Kahliyaan.
They said dozens of buffaloes, cows and goats were also killed and injured in the shelling.
AFP adds: Meanwhile, Indian officials claimed that two of their troops were killed and seven civilians injured in firing by Pakistani forces at Aknoor.
“The injured soldiers were immediately evacuated to a military hospital where they later succumbed (to their injuries),” border force spokesman Manoj Yadav told AFP from Jammu, the winter capital of the disputed region.
Pakistan authorities did not immediately comment on India’s allegations or whether any damage was sustained on their side.
The two sides had pledged to respect the conditions laid out in a 2003 ceasefire “in letter and spirit” following some of the highest levels of violence in the region since the pact was signed.
Both sides blame each other for violating the 15-year ceasefire.
Dozens have been killed in clashes in recent months along the Line of Control and Working Boundary, leaving residents terrified.
India has about 500,000 soldiers in the part of Kashmir it occupies, where Kashmiri groups are fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2018
For more live updates, follow Dawn.com's official news Instagram account @dawn.today
Comments (34) Closed
shame on Indian forces to target civilian in such large numbers
Shame on India for deliberately firing at villages and causing civilian casualties
This won’t stop. Yesterday, many people were injured and two soldiers were killed in India. Even a temple was targeted. Obviously India will retaliate and killed few soldiers on your side.
Same news on the other side too. Whom to believe
2 Indian soldiers were martyred in cross firing last day.
India has about 500,000 soldiers in the part of Kashmir it occupies, where Kashmiri groups are fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan. Kashmir is integral part of India, We will retain it. We will use men machines and technology to retain it. Let separatists keep on day dreaming of joining Pakistan!!
The death of two BSF soldiers buried the ceasefire which had survived only for 2-3 days.
This won't stop...wait for some more days
If you kill they will kill.Stop it and live in peace
@Ilyas Khan you started we finished.
You can't and should never trust the Indians
Indian strategy has failed under all their government's, so only recourse left to them is senseless killing of Kashmiris. That is why the only solution left is a plebiscite under UN and final status to join Pakistan. India murders them and has lost the right to be their protectors.
Two Indians solder were killed and 10 Injured in yesterday firing Pakistan only target Indian posts on the other hand unprofessional Indian army deliberately kill Innocents civilians
India claims killing of two soldiers with photos and shell attack reports in papers.
The Indian side is saying the exact same thing.
shame on you coward Indian soldiers, only in movies you pretend fool people while in reality, you are worst than cowards because you only target innocent children and elderly. you will get you deserve and you will not escape the punishment from almighty
Shame on both sides.2 Indian soldiers are also killed .
How many soldiers why do they never disclose it.
@Zak - You are right the policies of Congress led governments in India have failed.
Barbaric India.
Dont mess with the forces that can wipe you out in a day!
@Zak Dear Read the UN resolution about plebiscite before writing comments....
@concerned citizen if you think we are cowards after pakistan loosing all wars then you are daydreaming.Come and fight if you are so brave.
@Arun You can't be finished
@Sangan Patil shame on you being so adamant, still your reason doesn’t allow u to kill innocents
There is no question of India negotiate with Pakistan on Kashmir.It was and it is and it will be integral part of India.Every eligible 1.6 billion citizen will standup and fight adversaries if needed
Reportage from both sides show that the other side disregarded the ceasefire. We will never know the truth.
The main issue has always been Kashmir. Hold a plebiscite, let the Kashmiris decide their fate, and hope this gets resolved forever.
Till then, both India and Pakistan will suffer.
Expected from cowards. Wait for the jaw-breaking response.
@Ash2000 a few solidier?? Indians are deliberately attack on civilian that's why Pakistan retaliate. Listen so called Indian Pakistan never want war with you but if you couldn't stop then we won't hesitate to full attack on you.
@Amit because you don't have courage to kill Pakistan soldier except targeting civilian area to level the killing. I am from sialkot and I know that how are you targeting the civilian area! India are bullying Pakistan and don't push Pakistan to retaliate hard which you can't bear.
@Changez Khan . Same to Pakistan.
Surely , the space here is Pro Pakistani due to obvious.
Have the courage to portray truth and people express their legitimate thoughts in a civilised manner to be called an un-biased media.
@Ahmad Both sides are saying they don't want war and the other side started it. Don't be blinded, nobody knows the real happenings on the ground - both sides claim innocence. There won't be any war - both sides just want the issue to be alive because if Kashmir issue is settled there won't be a point for next election.
@Ahmad we can write a similar script
@Ahmad act fast, if you can