Srinagar: As the guns felt silent on Jammu border, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling from across the border in Uri sector late last night, killing a junior commissioned officer (JCO).
“We lodged a protest with Pakistan on hot line,” a defence ministry spokesman Naresh Vij said, adding the troops exercised restrain and did not retaliate.
He said at 0015 hrs last night, Pakistani troops fired motor shells from across the border at Kaman Uri sector.
Vij said Kumaon Regiment Subedar Prakash Chander, a resident of Uttrakhand, made supreme sacrifice.
He said Indian troops did not retaliate and exercised retrain.
However, a strong protest was lodged with Pakistan over the incident.
This was the first major ceasefire violation in Uri sector this year, which came about ten days after guns felt silent on the Line of Control and International Border in Jammu region, where a number of security forces and civilians were killed and scores injured in Pakistan shelling during the past about a month.
Sayeed said that consensus was broken recently when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called for ‘other options’ and a ‘response in kind’ at a time when shells and bullets were taking their toll on both sides of the divide.
It clearly goes beyond the usual lack of sensitivity to the people’s sentiment and looks like a part of a script to sacrifice the interests of the state for some other objective, the PDP chief alleged.
He said his party wants to make it clear that it treats war as no option, not even the last. “We have witnessed wars and suffered their consequences as no other state has had to. Every war was triggered by hawkish interpretation of situation and had to be followed up with negotiations or mediation to end them.
“If we could tackle Kargil intrusion without going for a full scale war, if Parliament attack could see the longest ceasefire between the two countries coming in the wake of troop mobilisation, one fails to understand the logic of any war mongering now in absence of any major provocation.
“Our party has decided to make the voice of the people of the state heard. Any escalation needs to be avoided in the interests of our people who had for the last 10 years enjoyed peace along the borders from Kargil to Kathua, he added.
They had started taking peace for granted and developed fresh stakes in hope and life. Bunkers, shields and shelters had been replaced with better permanent habitations and normal pursuit of life, farming and other engagements, Sayeed stated.
“We will never like them to again face uncertainties of a shattered peace and ravages of war,” he added. (PTI)