India on Thursday warned Pakistan against targeting civilians living near the disputed boundary between the two countries. In the second unscheduled telephonic conversation in a week, Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza how the Pakistan army violated military ethos by targeting the border villages and schoolchildren.
“Pakistan DGMO was informed of the action by Pakistani troops, wherein they had deliberately targeted civilian villages and fired at schoolchildren while they were being evacuated. This, he was told, does not behove of any army,” an Indian Army spokesperson said here in a statement.
The Indian Army, acting like a professional force, took due care to avoid targeting civilians and the Pakistan army was expected to do the same, he said. The 15-minute hotline conversation on Thursday was sought by the Indian Army and took place around 3.30 pm. This comes in the backdrop of nearly 200 schoolchildren facing Pakistan fire earlier this week.
On July 18, students in at least three schools near the Line of Control in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir were trapped on campus as Pakistan opened fire and the Indian Army retaliated.
The Pakistan army pounded Indian posts and forward villages, prompting India to retaliate in equal measure. The children were caught in the crossfire and had to be evacuated in bulletproof vehicles.
Lt Gen Bhatt also blamed Pakistan for “calibre escalation”, which means increased use of 120 mm mortars instead of 80 mm mortars and small arms. Maj Gen Mirza was also informed about the spate of ceasefire violations.
The two military officers had another round of telephonic talks on Monday, in which the Pakistani DGMO raised the issue of Pakistani posts being targeted by the Indian Army, leading to the death of four soldiers and one civilian. Monday’s unscheduled conversation was sought by Pakistan.
Published 20 July 2017, 19:51 IST