(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Five civilians, all members of a family, were killed and seven others, including five soldiers, injured yesterday in indiscriminate shelling by the Pakistani army on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said.
Police said a shell fired by the Pakistan army hit the home of a civilian identified as Mohamed Ramzan Chowdhary in Devta village of Balakote sector of Poonch district in the morning, killing him, his wife Malka Bi and their three sons.
'Two of his daughters were critically injured. They have been airlifted to the super specialty government medical college hospital in Jammu city, a police officer said.
'Five soldiers were also injured in Pakistan firing and shelling in the area, he said adding that civilians living in the area have been shifted to safer places after shelling and firing exchanges intensified following retaliation by the Indian army.
'This is highly condemnable. Pakistan is doing this out of frustration as it is suffering heavy losses in the hands of security forces. The government has allowed unprecedented professional freedom to security forces to respond in a manner they deem fit, federal Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said.
Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said: 'Pakistan army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from 7.45am to 11.30am along the LoC in Balakote sector using small arms, 81mm and 120mm mortars.
Pakistan continues 'in its design of targeting innocent civilians, their homes and livestock in villages close to the LoC, he said, adding 'it was a matter of serious concern as it was attacking 'localities much deep inside Indian territory, almost 3 to 4km, from the LoC, where there is no army deployment or any related installation and even no equipment.
'The deliberate provocation has resulted in loss of five precious and innocent civilian lives, he said, adding that Indian troops 'retaliated strongly, effectively and proportionately to the dastardly act.
Anand also said that the two injured girls of the family were evacuated to Jammu by helicopter.
'The crew of the helicopter belonging to 132 Forward area control flight, Flight Lt Mittal and Flying Officer Akash, quickly swung into action and landed at Rajouri at 12 noon. They were airborne with Maureen, aged 7 years, and Nourin, aged 10 years, within the next two minutes.
Pakistan said on Saturday its high commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood, who was called back to Islamabad for talks over the alleged harassment of diplomatic staff in New Delhi, was unlikely to return to his posting until the situation improved.
Islamabad has also decided to stay away from a World Trade Organisation meeting being hosted by New Delhi today and tomorrow.
Skirmishes along the LoC and the international border have seen a sharp rise in the last one year, as ties have steadily gone downhill following terror strikes and unrest in the Kashmir Valley.
Last week, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the armed forces were retaliating appropriately to ceasefire violations by the Pakistani army 'wherever necessary, adding that the defences along the border were being periodically fortified to withstand any attack.
In a reply in Rajya Sabha to questions related to the security situation in Kashmir, Sitharaman said that 209 incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistani army were reported along the LoC in January, while the number was 142 in the first 12 days of February. A total of 860 incidents of ceasefire violations took place last year, she added.
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