Pakistani civilian injured as Indo-Pak border forces exchange fire

Published October 19, 2014
A Pakistani villager points to a hole in his roof caused by a mortar shell allegedly fired across the border at the Dhamala border village near the eastern city of Sialkot in Punjab province on October 8, 2014. - AFP
A Pakistani villager points to a hole in his roof caused by a mortar shell allegedly fired across the border at the Dhamala border village near the eastern city of Sialkot in Punjab province on October 8, 2014. - AFP

Indian and Pakistani troops traded cross-border fire Sunday injuring at least one Pakistani civilian in Janglora village of Sialkot's Bajwat sector, officials said, the latest in a series of clashes that began earlier this month and have claimed at least 20 civilian lives.

The wounded person was shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Sialkot where all victims of the recent Indo-Pak clashes have been provided with free medical treatment and facilities.

The exchange of fire began when Indian troops resorted to “unprovoked” fire across the border that separates India-held Kashmir and Pakistan's Punjab province, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement.

Each country holds part of the Himalayan territory but claims it in full. The two nations have fought two full-scale wars over Kashmir, though tensions have eased since the signing of a 2003 ceasefire.

It is still unclear what precipitated the recent upsurge in unrest, which began on October 6 during the Islamic festival of Eidul-Adha and has forced thousands of residents on both sides to flee their homes.

Pakistan's most senior foreign affairs official Sartaj Aziz meanwhile had a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, officials said. He told Ban that Islamabad “was fully united and determined to thwart any aggression”, according to a statement released by his office.

Aziz also called on the UN to implement its 1947 resolution calling for a referendum in Kashmir to determine its fate and restore peace to the region -- a resolution India has long rejected.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...