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Today's Paper | December 22, 2024

Updated 20 Oct, 2016 12:51am

One villager killed, five injured due to 'unprovoked' firing by Indian army across LoC

One villager was killed and five others injured due to unprovoked firing by Indian security forces across the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Abdul Rehman, 28, resident of village Palani was killed due to firing by Indian forces across the LoC, it said.

Earlier, FO Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria claimed that India continuously violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Karela sector of the disputed valley throughout the day.

Zakaria added that the Pakistan Army provided a "befitting response".

Four people, including two children were injured by Indian fire in the village of Palani, read the statement released by the FO spokesperson on Twitter.

The second incident of cross-border firing started at 4pm on Wednesday and continued till evening, said the spokesperson.

"#LoCViolationsbyIndia continue as ceasefire violations began on October 19th midnight @Karela sector; was met by befitting response from our side."

This is the second ceasefire violation reported on Wednesday, the FO alleged.

"Second time today India violated ceasefire @Karela sector which is continuing since 4pm, Pakistan Army's responding."

Reports regarding ceasefire violations usually come from the Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Asim Bajwa. Today's announcement from the FO is a departure from the norm.

Uri aftermath

The Indian prime minister stepped up a drive to isolate Pakistan diplomatically after the Uri army base attack in India-held Kashmir earlier in September.

Hours after the attack occurred, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed Pakistan a 'terrorist state'. India also accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack.

The Uri attack occurred days before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was set to address the United Nations General Assembly regarding Indian human rights violations in held Kashmir.

Following the attack, India claimed to have conducted a cross-border 'surgical strike' against 'launch pads of terror' in Azad Jammu and Kashmir ─ a claim Pakistan has strongly rejected.

Pakistan maintains India is attempting to divert the world's attention away from 'atrocities' committed by government forces in India-held Kashmir.

Pakistan and India have locked horns over the Kashmir issue since Indian forces stepped up a crackdown against protesters after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by government forces in July.

With additional input by Syed Sammar Abbas from Islamabad.

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