Six citizens martyred in Indian unprovoked firing along LoC

LAHORE: Six citizens were martyred on Wednesday as Indian forces once again violated the Line of Control (LoC) by resorting to unprovoked mortar shelling.

Sources in the area said six citizens were martyred in the unprovoked shelling in Kotli village in Nakyal sector of LoC. Three of a family were among those martyred in the Indian firing.

A woman was martyred in Indian unprovoked firing in Khoi Rata sector of the LoC while a citizen was critically injured in the LoC violation in Abbaspur sector.

Pakistan forces responded befittingly to Indian firing.

The latest LoC violations come a day after Indian military aircraft breached Pakistan's airspace and "intruded" from the Muzaffarabad sector. The Indian aircraft were forced to return owing to the timely response of the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said early Tuesday.

"Indian aircraft intrusion across LoC in Muzafarabad Sector within AJK was 3-4 miles. Under forced hasty withdrawal aircraft released payload which had free fall in open area. No infrastructure got hit, no casualties. Technical details and other important information to follow," Major General Ghafoor wrote on Twitter.

He also tweeted images of the "payload of hastily escaping Indian aircraft" which "fell in [the] open".

The LoC violations follow a series of threats by Indian political and military leadership following the attack on an Indian Army convoy at Pulwama by a local youth, in reaction to the oppression unleashed by the occupational forces.