Unprovoked cross-LoC Indian firing martyrs two Pakistani civilians: ISPR

• Indian Army opens indiscriminate fire onto a group of shepherds.
• Pakistan reserves right to respond back in a manner of its choosing: ISPR.
• "Indian forces have embarked on a plan to take innocent lives.."

RAWALPINDI: Two Pakistani civilians embraced martyrdom while another sustained injuries as they came under the Indian army fire in the Sattwal Sector from across the Line of Control (LoC), according to the military's media wing.

In a statement on Saturday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, “Indian Army, in a display of its usual inhumane approach towards innocent Kashmiris, opened indiscriminate fire onto a group of shepherds in the Sattwal Sector.”

Resultantly, it said, one civilian embraced martyrdom, while two other were critically injured.

However, later in an update, the ISPR said death toll rose to two as another injured of the Indian firing succumbed to injuries. 

"In sequel to Indian Army unprovoked firing today while adopting an inhumane approach towards innocent Kashmiris at Sattwal Sector, one more civilian has embraced shahadat while one remains critically injured," the statement added.

The military’s media wing identified the martyrs as Obaid Qayyum (s/o Muhammad Qayyum, age 22 years) and Muhammad Qasim (s/o Muhammad Din, age 55 years).

Both the martyrs are resident of village Bara Dari Tetrinote of Tehsil Hajira in district Poonch, the ISPR 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,” the military said, in an indirect reference to a joint statement issued after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Joe Biden.

The ISPR said that Pakistan reserves the right to respond back in a manner of its choosing to protect Kashmiri lives in the LoC belt, regardless of the strong protest being launched from the Indian side.

“The Indian side is reminded to respect the basic human rights of Kashmiris, particularly, their inalienable right to till their lands,” the statement concluded.

‘Timing of incident linked with India-US joint statement’

Muhammad Ali, a national security expert, said that there are four different aspects to India’s destabilising approach in the region.

“They think that the world’s powers are giving them a lot of importance. Apart from this, they have attempted to build a narrative to point allegations towards Pakistan with regards to terrorism,” he said, adding that the reality is contradictory as Kashmiris are suffering the most.

He further said that India is now also targeting innocent civilians along with the freedom fighters.

“This is the reality of India, which must be brought before the world.”

He added that the Pakistan Army and the Kashmiris here are always prepared to give a harsh response to India, if it ever launches attacks at the LOC.

The national security expert also commented on the joint statement issued by The White House following Modi’s meeting with Biden.

He said that the timing of this incident is linked with the joint statement through which India is attempting to show Pakistan that it has the Joe Biden administration’s backing.