Indian Congress raises concern over beefed military presence in IoK

In India, the Congress party has voiced its serious concern over the massive build-up of security forces in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, ARY News reported on Saturday.

In a statement issued after a meeting of the party’s Kashmir Policy Planning Group, the Congress also expressed concern over widespread fear and apprehension among the people of Jammu and Kashmir about the government’s intentions of abolishing Article 35-A and Article 370.

It said that all these steps are creating an atmosphere of heightened insecurity and fear.

Congress Party urged the Centre to maintain the constitutional guarantees given to the state saying that the government should not take any decision that would precipitate a deep crisis.

The Congress party’s Kashmir Policy Planning Group, headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was formed in September 2017.

Cluster ‘toy’ bombs have been recovered from the Line of Control (LoC) which were put there for nefarious purposes which are being traced back to India, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to details, the toy bombs were placed in the peripheries of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir area of Pakistan, near the working boundary of the two countries.

The bombs have thus far martyred a 4-year-old adolescent along with 2 others and left 11 injured in its wake.

The cluster bombs have been banned according to the United States (UN) Geneva convention of which India is a signatory.

The cluster toy bomb is shaped like a harmless toy and can be devastating after detonating, exploding into million shards of razor-sharp blades which pierce through whatever comes in the range of the blast.

The bombs are primarily targeted towards the children who take them home with them unbeknownst to the havoc they could wreak.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of the Armed forces revealed that the said explosive device had been used on July 30 and 31 against the people residing on the Pakistan side of disputed Kashmir to target the civilian population.

Reacting to the beefed-up ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) by India, the Pakistan Army said on Wednesday, July 31 that it will take all measures to protect innocent civilians from Indian firing.

The military’s spokesperson, Major General Asif Ghafoor, said on Twitter that, “Increased Indian Cease Fire Violations (CFVs) indicate their frustration due to failure in IOJ&K [Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir].”

Increased Indian Cease Fire Violations (CFVs) indicate their frustration due to failure in IOJ&K. CFVs are being & shall always be effectively responded. Pak Army shall take all measures to protect innocent civilians along LOC from Indian firing deliberately targeting them.

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) July 31, 2019

“CFVs are being & shall always be effectively responded. Pak Army shall take all measures to protect innocent civilians along LOC from Indian firing deliberately targeting them,” the Director-General of Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) tweeted.

A day earlier, the ISPR reported that Indian troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in Danna, Dhddnial, Jura, Lipa, Sharda, and Shahkot Sectors, targeting civil population.

The statement added that a 26-year-old Pakistani citizen was martyred and nine other citizens including women and children sustained injuries.

Moreover, three Indian soldiers were reportedly killed and several injured in retaliatory fire by Pakistan Army forces across the LoC, ISPR said.

In this regard, the Foreign Office also lodged a strong protest earlier today with the Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia.

Indian Congress voices concern over build-up of security forces in Occupied Kashmir