Two civilians, BSF jawan killed in Pak firing

Srinagar: A BSF jawan and two civilians were killed and 24 others, including two border guards, wounded in Pakistani firing in fresh ceasefire violations along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts on Friday.

“Pakistan Rangers resorted to heavy firing and shelling along the IB in several areas of Ranbir Singh Pura, Arnia and Ramgarh sectors since 6.40 am,” a BSF official said, adding that firing and shelling spread to Kathua district in the afternoon.

Pakistan Rangers targeted around 45 border outposts (BoPs) in the three sectors, he said.

Dozens of residential houses and other properties were damaged and hundreds of families living in close proximity to the border were forced leave their homes. Schools in the border belt have been closed till further orders “as a precautionary measure” and people advised not to venture out of homes.

In New Delhi, India condemned Pakistani ceasefire violations and hinted that it will hit back. Pakistan deputy high commissioner Syed Haider Shah was summoned and grave concerns over continued ceasefire violations and targeting of civilians were conveyed to him.

A BSF spokesman in Jammu said that one of its three jawans injured in the Pakistani firing on Friday in Ramgarh sector died in hospital. He was identified as Head Constable Jagvir Singh, 49. Two more BSF jawans were injured at Mallu Chak and Nanga Post in Ramgarh.

Two civilians — Bachno Devi, 52, resident of Saikhurd, and Sahil, 25, resident of Kortana — were also killed in Pakistan firing, officials said. Nine persons were injured in Kathua district, eight in Jammu district and four in Samba district, they added.

On Thursday, a 17-year-old girl and a BSF jawan were killed and six persons, including five civilians, were injured in ceasefire violation in three sectors of Jammu and Samba districts.

BSF director general K.K. Sharma, while speaking to reporters after the wreath-laying ceremony for the jawan killed on Thursday, said that he has asked his men to retaliate to Pakistani firing with full might.

In a statement issued in New Delhi, the MEA said, “It was conveyed to the concerned authorities in Pakistan that deliberate targeting of innocent civilians was against all established humanitarian norms and practices.”

“Pakistan was again called upon to adhere to the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding for maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Control and the International Boundary,” it said.

The MEA spokesperson said, “We very strongly condemn the continued and unprecedented ceasefire violations by Pakistan which has caused loss of lives and properties. Our sincere condolences to the families of those affected in this incident… Pakistan violates the ceasefire as a cover to infiltrate terrorists across the border into India. We of course retaliate in such cases and we also take up the matter at appropriate level with the Pakistani side.”

In a retaliatory move in Islamabad, Pakistan summoned Indian deputy high commissioner J.P. Singh on Friday for the second time in two days over the alleged “unprovoked ceasefire violations” by the Indian forces that killed Pakistani citizens.

Director general (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Mr Singh for “unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Working Boundary on January 19 in the Sialkot Sector”, the foreign office said.