MUZAFFARABAD: A woman lost her life and a young girl was injured in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday after Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing from across the restive Line of Control (LoC), civilian and military officials said.

Raja Mohammad Akmal, senior superintendent of police (SSP) in district Kotli, told Dawn that Indian troops resorted to small arms fire in Jandrot sector at about 9:30am “without any provocation”.

A 26-year-old woman, identified as Yasmeen Bibi, wife of Shiraz, died on the spot in Radd Kathar village after she was hit in the chest, he said.

The victim, who had got married two years ago, was cutting grass for cattle when the trigger-happy Indian soldiers aimed at her in an act of targeted firing, he added.

The SSP said the victim’s mother-in-law, who accompanied her, escaped unhurt.

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Elsewhere in Kotli district, SSP Akmal said, a little girl, Adeeba Zaheer, was injured in Janjot Bahadar village of Khuiratta sector in Indian firing.

She had been treated in a local health facility and was out of danger, he added.

In a tweet, Inter-Services Public Relations, the media affairs wing of Pakistan Army, confirmed civilian casualties in AJK: “Indian Army troops initiated unprovoked CFVs in Jandrot & Khuiratta Sectors along #LOC deliberately targeting civilian population this morning. A woman embraced Shahadat while an 8 years old girl sustained injuries. Injured child evacuated & being provided medical care.”

According to officials, Indian army posts in many areas along the LoC are just a stone’s throw from the civilian population living on the AJK side.

In Radd Kathar village, the Indian army post was said to be hardly at an aerial distance of 100-150 metres from the place where women were cutting grass.

Officials say that apart from pounding civilian population with large calibre guns during cross-LoC shelling, Indian troops directly fire at innocent and unarmed AJK civilians with small arms when apparently the LoC is calm.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2020