ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army on Friday warned India to stop provocative acts else "will be responded in the same coin".
The military's media wing in a statement said that it has inflicted substantial losses on Indian troops, which has been accepted by the Indian media as well. Indian forces targeted civilian population along the Line of Control after being "humiliated" at the hands of local freedom fighters in occupied Kashmir, opposite the Neelum Valley on the night of November 7/8, the ISPR said.
"[The Indian Army] suffered few casualties including four soldiers. To ward off the humiliation faced by the Indian Army in front of the domestic audience, instead of finding the reasons from within and addressing the same, on 13 November 2020, the Indian Army opted for resorting to unprovoked and indiscriminate fire of all calibers, including artillery and heavy mortars, along the LOC in various sectors of AJ&K," said the ISPR.
The ISPR said that Indian forces not only resorted to engaging Pakistan's military posts but also targeted civilian population across the LoC which resulted in the martyrdom of four persons and 12 getting injured.
"Pakistan Army gave a befitting reply to the Indian Army, and effectively targeted those Indian posts which engaged innocent civilians," said the ISPR.
"As a result, substantial losses, both in terms of men and material, have been incurred on to Indian troops which have also been accepted by Indian media."
The ISPR stated that the Indian Army's losses were much more what they were acknowledging, adding that one brave Pakistani soldier was martyred in this exchange while five others were injured. The armed forces made it clear that Pakistan is a peace-loving country and the Pakistan Army pursues the same aspirations.
However, it warned India from committing any further acts of aggression and if it does, should be prepared to receive a befitting response.
"We stand committed to defending the motherland and our Kashmiri brethren even at the cost of our blood and lives. We assure, that all such provocative acts shall continue to be responded in the same coin," said the ISPR.
Earlier, the ISPR had spoken about the exchange between the two sides after India resorted to unprovoked aggression across the LoC.
"Indian Army troops CFV in Rakhchikri & Khanjar Sectors along LOC targeting civil population with rockets & mortars in Tari Band & Samahni villages. 1 citizen embraced shahadat, 3 civilians incl 2 women got injured."
"Pakistan Army responded effectively targeting Indian Army posts," the ISPR had tweeted.
A few months ago, the Foreign Office had said India has "been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars, and automatic weapons" along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB). It said India has committed over 2,150 ceasefire violations in 2020.
Reuters adds: At least 10 civilians and five security personnel were killed in cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan on Friday, in one of this year's deadliest days along the heavily militarised frontier separating the nuclear-armed rivals, officials said.
Indian officials claimed the barrage of mortars and other weapons along several parts of the Line of Control. Pakistan's military said in a statement it had responded to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing by the Indian army.
Indian officials claimed six civilians, three soldiers and a border guard were killed on their side. The Pakistan military said four civilians and one soldier were killed in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K).
"As usual they targeted civilian populations without any remorse," said Syed Shahid Qadri, a government official in AJ&K, where a woman was among the dead and 27 others were injured.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020