India summoned the Pakistan deputy high commissioner in New Delhi on 19 March and lodged a strong protest against ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on 18 March that left five members of a family dead and two of them injured.
Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah was also told that such heinous acts are against established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct.External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The Jammu and Kashmir government said on 18 March that it would take full care of two injured sisters after they lost their entire family, including parents and three brothers, in the Pakistani shelling.
State works minister Naeem Akhtar, who is also the government spokesperson, said on 18 March, "The government will take full care of the two minor girls, who have no one left to look after them in the family.”
J&K people are the ones paying the price of enmity & partition between our nation & Pakistan. Our people are being killed on both sides. It’s my appeal to our PM & Pakistan that exchange of fire should stop.J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti
Mufti further said on 19 March, “Steps should be taken to establish peace like Vajpayee Ji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) did in 2003 & went to Pakistan when ceasefire violations took place. PM Modi also went to Pakistan but Pathankot unfortunately happened after it.
Akhtar had visited the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) to enquire about the condition of the girls – Naureen and Mehreen – who were airlifted to Jammu for treatment.
The hospital authorities told Akhtar that the injured girls are being provided the best possible treatment and that one of them had to undergo surgery and is now recuperating.
The minister said the government is taking all the administrative measures to reach out to the affected population in the area.
The minister expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives on the borders during cross-border firing.
There has been spurt in ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Border (IB) in the state this year.
With latest killings, the death toll in the cross-border shelling has risen to 26. The dead included 12 security personnel, while over 80 others were also got injured.
Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Bimber Gali started around 7:45 am.
“They are specifically targeting civilian areas," he said.
Director General of Police SP Vaid, in a tweet, said, “Due to shelling from across (LoC) in Balakote sector of Poonch, 5 civilians of one family died and two are injured who are being shifted to hospital.”
The civilian casualties occurred in forward village of Devta Dhar when a shell hit the house of Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, a police official said.
The dead include the house owner, a woman, a boy and a minor girl, he said. The police official said heavy shelling was going on from both the sides.
Army troops retaliated strongly and effectively to silence Pakistani guns, he said.
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