“Two children killed, 11 civilians injured in Pak shelling”

Jammu: Two children were killed and 11 civilians injured as Pakistani army Monday fired and shelled forward border villages and Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu province. “Pakistani Army this morning violated ceasefire agreement and fired unprovoked, targeted forward Indian posts and villages,” official sources here said. They said small arms and mortars landed at Qasba and Kerni villages of Poonch.
A minor boy namely Ifraz Ahmed,9, son of Mohammad Rashid, resident of Naka Qasba and Shamim Akhter,15, daughter of Mohammad Sadiq, resident of Degwar killed in the shelling while 11 other civilians also sustained injuries out of which three critically injured were shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.
“Indian Army is giving befitting reply to the ceasefire violation and exchange of fire is still in progress,” they said.
Meanwhile Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, National Conference President and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, National Conference Working President and another former Chief Omar Abdullah and several ministers of the Mehbooba government have expressed their anguish over border
Expressing grief and anguish over the killing of three minors during cross LoC shelling in parts of Poonch district Monday,Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said it is very unfortunate that these teenagers became victims of fire power when they were yet to understand the nuances of politics. The Chief Minister has directed the district administration to ensure specialized treatment to the people injured in the shelling.
Expressing deep shock and anguished over the border killing Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh expressed sympathy with the families of those killed prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
National Conference President and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and Working President and another former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too have expressed deep grief over death of two children in shelling from across the Line of Control in Poonch. Farooq Abdullah Mr Omar Abdullah have extended deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for peace to departed souls. They also wished speedy recovery to those injured. The National Conference President expressed anguish over continued firing and shelling from across the LoC and International Border and called for ending the hostilities. He said the brunt of border skirmishes is being faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those living in forward areas. Dr Abdullah called for adherence of ceasefire agreement, saying the beneficiaries of this would be the hapless people living on borders. The NC President and the Working President expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and those whose dear ones have been injured in the shelling.
Expressing shock and anguish over the border killings, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Information, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and assured every possible support from the government to the affected people Minister asked the district administration to reach out to the people affected by the shelling and provide all possible help to enable them to cope with the distressing situation. He strongly condemned targeting of civilian areas and resorting to repeated ceasefire violations from across the border and said the cross-border shelling has seen a humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region with loss of precious human lives.
Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Abdul Ghani Kohli Monday visited the Government Medical College Hospital Jammu and enquired about the well being of those injured in cross border firing.The Minister was informed that four seriously injured person were brought to Government Medical College from Poonch including one four year girl. He visited Emergency, Recovery Wards and interacted with the attendants of the injured. He called upon the hospital authorities to ensure proper ,medicare and related facilities to the injured.
Meanwhile, the Minister expressed deep shock and grief over the death of innocent civilians in Poonch expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.