SIALKOT: Three people were seriously injured by mortar shells fired by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Pakistan’s border villages in Zafarwal-Shakargarh sector along the Sialkot Working Boundary.

The injured were identified as Aqeel, Rashid and Shahid — all from Chak Naahra village.

Shakargarh Assistant Commissio­ner Amir Shehzad told Dawn that the injured were taken to General Hospital Lahore because of their critical condition.

The BSF personnel began shelling on Wednesday evening and continued the ceasefire violation the entire night.

According senior officers of Punjab Rangers, the mortar shells hit villages of Lehari, Sakho Chak, Sukmaal,Timbar Chak , Poorey Chak, Bhopalpur, Agor, Tughalpur, Chak Naahra, Seelaayi, etc.

The shelling created panic among the masses and damaged several houses.

Punjab Rangers responded to the mortar shelling, forcing the Indian guns to fall silent.

According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press statement, the Indian Border Security Force violated ceasefire along the Sialkot Working Boundary in Zafarwal-Shakargarh sector, injuring three people in the “unprovoked” attack.

The Pakistan Army targeted an Indian post, killing one Indian soldier and injuring two, besides neutralising the post.

The ceasefire violations are frequent along the Line of Control (LoC) and Sialkot Working Boundary, although senior officials of Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force had in November last year agreed to revive the spirit of the 2003 ceasefire accord to protect the lives of innocent people.

Until June last year, unprovoked firing by Indian security forces from across the Line of Control and at the Sialkot Working Boundary had left 832 people dead, 3,000 injured and 3,300 houses damaged, according to Director General of the Disaster Management Authority Zaheeruddin Qureshi.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2018