ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army on Monday rejected Indian allegations of targeting civilian population living on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC).

The denial was made during a ‘special hotline contact’ between the Directors General Military Operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India.

“On allegation of targeting of civilians by Pakistan Army, DGMO Pakistan Army clarified that Pakistan considers people living across LoC as our brethren and Pakistan Army as a professional force has never done this,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement on the conversation between the DGMOs.

India has frequently targeted civilian population in Azad Kashmir which claimed 45 civilian lives this year, taking the civilian casualty toll for the past three years on this side of the LoC to 130.

Unscheduled hotline contact between top military commanders

Pakistan has been protesting against the targeting of the civilian population.

“Pakistan DGMO protested on recent deliberate targeting of innocent civilians along LoC…Indian troops are deliberately targeting innocent civilians including children…such deliberate actions are serious concern and violation of 2003 agreement,” the ISPR said.

Defence Secretary retired Lt Gen Zamirul Hassan Shah last Thursday told the Senate Defence committee that apart from distracting world attention from Indian atrocities in held Kashmir another reason behind intensified shelling on civilian population along the LoC by Indian troops could be to create an unpopulated buffer zone in the region.

The Indian Army has in response to Pakistani protests over shelling on populated areas has started accusing the Pakistan Army of doing the same, which Pakistan has now forcefully rejected.

The Indians, it is believed, are using this allegation as a pretext for continued ceasefire violations.

This year 1,170 truce breaches by India have been recorded, which is the highest number of violations since the 2003 agreement on ceasefire was reached between the two countries.

“Indian Army will continue to take all retaliatory measures as well as retain the right to punitively respond to such provocative acts of aggression from Pak side in future too,” Indian DGMO Lt Gen A.K. Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad, according to the Indian Army’s statement on what was described as “unscheduled hotline conversation”.

India has, meanwhile, come up with a new explanation for attacking the civilian population saying the Pakistan Army is tactically keeping them there.

“Pakistan Army has employed civilians at the forward posts and accorded permission for permanent locations of civilians in the vicinity of Pakistan Army posts,” the Indian statement claimed.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2017