ISLAMABAD: Indian forces on Saturday killed a civilian and critically injured two others in Azad Kashmir in northern Pakistan, the army’s media wing said in a statement, warning New Delhi that it has the right to respond to attacks against its people.
Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan, who both gained independence from Britain in 1947, have fought two out of three wars over the disputed Himalayan Kashmir region. Both countries rule parts of Kashmir with each country claiming ownership of the entire region.
Indian and Pakistani forces regularly trade fire at the border area in Kashmir, often resulting in civilians becoming casualties of the conflict.
“Today, at 1155 hours, Indian Army, in a display of its usual inhumane approach toward innocent Kashmiris, opened indiscriminate fire onto a group of shepherds in Sattwal Sector,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, adding that one civilian died while two others were “critically injured.”
“Driven by a newfound geopolitical patronage, Indian forces have embarked on a plan to take innocent lives to satiate their false narratives and concocted allegations,” the ISPR said, referring to a joint statement by US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Modi on Friday which called on Pakistan to take “immediate action” against militants.
The ISPR said it has lodged a “strong protest” with India over the killing, adding that it has the right to respond to Indian aggression in a manner of its choosing.
“Indian side is reminded to respect basic human rights of Kashmiris, particularly, their inalienable right to till their lands,” it added.