RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday evening said deliberate targeting of innocent civilians on the Line of Control (LoC) is unprofessional and unacceptable.
He was chairing a special meeting at Corps Headquarters Rawalpindi to review the LoC situation focusing on civil bus massacre by Indian forces, which resulted in martyrdom of innocent passengers.
The Army Chief appreciated morale of troops and the most befitting response given by them.
He directed that any future violations must also get instant and effective response.
At least nine civilians were martyred and several including women and children injured as a result of unprovoked Indian shelling at the LoC earlier today.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Indian forces carried out unprovoked artillery shelling in Neelum Valley at the LoC. The ISPR placed the death toll at seven civilians martyred and 11 injured.
Indian troops fired a rocket at a passenger bus near Dhaundiyal. They also fired at an ambulance and targeted the settlements along the border, ISPR said.
Seven of those targeted by Indian shelling were critically injured, officials said. A shell was fired at a house where a girl was martyred and three people, including a woman, were injured.
The ISPR added that Pakistani troops responded in a befitting manner to the Indian aggression during which 7 Indian soldiers were killed.
Pakistan summons Indian envoy
Foreign Office summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and lodged a protest over the killing of its citizens and troops on the LoC.
FO Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that a strong protest was lodged against the Indian aggression, resulting in the martyrdom of nine Pakistani civilians and three soldiers.
PM condemns Indian firing on bus
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned in the strongest words the unprovoked firing by Indian security forces on a civil bus.
In a statement, he prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and grant of courage to the loved ones of the Martyrs to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude.
The Prime Minister said that the valiant personnel of Armed Forces who embraced Shahadat on Wednesday are held in highest esteem.
He said despite our exercise of maximum restraint in the wake of continuing naked Indian aggression along LoC resulting in the martyrdom of innocent civilians including children and women India has failed to comprehend the gravity of the situation.
Nawaz Sharif said no responsible state can permit targeting innocent civilians in general and ambulances carrying the injured in particular.
