One civilian was killed in a fresh violation of ceasefire by the Pakistan Army on the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla’s Uri on Thursday, a day ahead of the separatist Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front’s call for a march from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) towards Srinagar.
An Army official said the civilian died of splinter injuries after Pakistan resorted to shelling in Uri Sector’s Rustum Post in the afternoon. The identity of the deceased could not be established immediately.
A police official said the civilian was working as a porter with the Army. “We are collecting more details on the incident,” the police said.
The Army said it retaliated in “befitting manner”.
Kashmir has witnessed a growing number of ceasefire violations from Pakistan after the August 5 decision to revoke J&K’s special status. Around 350 search operations were launched in tourist destination of Gumarg in Baramulla last month after the reports of major infiltration bids.
Thursday’s incident comes just a day before a threat from separatist JKLF to march from PoK into the Kashmir valley. It has called for a march from Bhimber to Srinagar via Chakothi.
“Kashmiris have a legal and democratic right to peacefully cross the ceasefire line. The Secretary General of the U.N., including permanent members of the UNSC, and many major nations have been informed of the march on October 4,” said Zafar Khan, chairman of the diplomatic bureau of the JKLF in an e-mailed statement.
“We have impressed upon Indian and Pakistani armies not to cause any physical harm or create obstacles in the path of the peaceful procession on either side of the line,” he added.
Agencies
