Islamabad, June 24 (EFE).- Pakistan on Saturday accused the Indian Army of killing two civilians in a shooting incident from across the de facto border in the disputed region of Kashmir.
The alleged incident, which resulted in critical injuries to three other civilians, marks the first known violation of the ceasefire agreement the two nuclear-armed neighbors recommitted to in February 2021.
“(The) Indian Army in a display of its usual inhumane approach towards innocent Kashmiris opened indiscriminate fire onto a group of shepherds,” the media wing of the Pakistan Army said in a statement.
The statement confirmed that two shepherds were killed, while three others sustained injuries. The Indian military has not released any information regarding the incident.
Following heightened cross-border tensions in February 2021, India and Pakistan recommitted to the 2003 ceasefire agreement, pledging to address the core issues that could undermine peace and stability through military dialogue.
Referring to the recent boost in India-US ties during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington, the Pakistan Army’s media wing said, “Driven by a newfound geo-political patronage, Indian forces have embarked on a plan to take innocent lives to satiate their false narratives and concocted allegations,”
While Pakistan vowed to lodge a strong protest with the Indian side, it also asserted its right to respond in a manner of its choosing to protect the people of the disputed Kashmir region.
Pakistan urged India to respect the human rights of the Kashmiris, particularly their inalienable right to their lands.
In November 2003, the two countries agreed to a ceasefire along the so-called Line of Control – the de facto border that divides Kashmir between the two South Asian rivals.
But since 2008, there have been intermittent violations by both sides.
Since Modi came to power in 2014, the ceasefire violations witnessed a sharp spike that continued till both returned to the truce commitments.
In 2020, Pakistan claimed that Indian troops committed over 3,000 ceasefire violations, resulting in the deaths of 28 people.
India alleges Pakistan of sponsoring cross-border terrorism in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which has been battling nearly 35 years of an armed rebellion against Indian rule.
Pakistan denies the allegations. EFE
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