A 9-month-old baby and a 5-year-old child, siblings, have died along with their mother as a consequence of ceasefire violations by Pakistan. The ceasefire violations come right after Imran Khan’s announcement to return Wing Commander Abhinandan was hailed by many as a ‘peace gesture’.
A civilian in the Poonch sector in Kashmir told Republic TV, “Firing began from evening 6 pm by Pakistan and went on till 9-10 pm. The firing from Pakistan’s side blasted inside a house while the family was having a meal.”
Jammu & Kashmir: Three members of a family were killed in shelling by Pakistan, in Poonch district’s Krishna Ghati sector, last night. pic.twitter.com/kqCsnf6RFH
— ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2019
“The mother and her two kids are dead. The father of the kids is injured. Two-three houses adjoined are destroyed. Our house is close to the border and Pakistan is destroying, abusing us. We are poor people, how do we save ourselves?” another villager was quoted as saying.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt Colonel Devender Anand reportedly said that many people have been injured at Salotri as Pakistan is targeting civilian population along the LoC in Poonch, Mankote, Balakote, and Nowshera areas. The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively, he said.
”Pakistani Army, at around 1930 hrs (Friday), heavily fired in Salotri village of Jallas in Poonch sector,” police sources reportedly stated.
The rampant ceasefire violations indicate that the ‘peace gesture’ of returning Wing Commander Abhinandan to India was extremely farcical. And that he was returned only due to international conventions and the pressure built on them by the Indian government. While Pakistani Ministers are floating Imran Khan as a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, his army is busy killing children and infants.
