Four people injured in Indian Army firing across LoC, says Pakistan

India announced Pakistan shelled posts and villages in Poonch on Saturday morning

Indian-Army-Strike-LoC-artillery Screengrab from the footage of the Indian Army's strike across the LoC | Supplied by MoD

The Pakistan Army on Saturday issued a statement on the artillery shelling by the Indian Army on the previous day.

The Indian Army on Friday released footage of artillery attacks on terror launch pads, gun positions and an ammunition dump across the Line of Control. The Indian Army action came days after five elite commandos were killed in an encounter with militants in Kupwara.

In a statement issued on Twitter, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of the Pakistan Army claimed, "Indian troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations during last 24 hours using artillery and heavy mortars in Sharda, Dhudnial and Shahkot sectors along LOC deliberately targeting civilian population. Due to Indian Army’s indiscriminate fire of heavy weapons... Bessan Wali and Chhari villages, four innocent civilians including a 15 year old girl sustained serious injuries. Pakistan Army troops responded effectively with matching calibre targeted those Indian Army posts, which initiated fire."

The Pakistan Army statement added "In 2020, Indian Army committed 708 ceasefire violations so far, in which 2 citizens embraced shahadat while 42 sustained injuries".

The Pakistan Army statement comes even as officials in Jammu and Kashmir announced Islamabad had used mortar shells to target posts and villages in Poonch district on Saturday morning. "Heavy firing and shelling is going on in Kirni and Qasba areas... there is panic among the people who have been advised to stay inside underground bunkers," a defence spokesperson said.

India claimed that there were 646 instances of ceasefire violation from the Pakistani side in January and February this year. In 2019, 3,200 ceasefire violations were recorded.