Thursday, February 5, 2026
ADVT 
India

Two more die in Pakistan firing, PM says things will be fine

Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 Oct, 2014 06:49 AM
    Pakistan Rangers continued to fire across the International Border with India through the night and well into Wednesday, killing at least two more people and injuring two dozen, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "everything will be fine soon".
     
    India was quick to retaliate at Pakistani firing, but the casualties on the other side were not known immediately.
     
    More than 20,000 residents of 30 villages along the International Border (IB) in Jammu region have been shifted to safer locations in view of continuing Pakistani firing, officials said.
     
    India's top military official said they were keen to resolve the ceasefire violations as Pakistan again raised the Kashmir issue at the UN.
     
    Prime Minister Modi, who attended the 'At Home' organised by Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha to mark the Air Force Day, asked about ceasefire violations by Pakistan said: "Everything will be fine soon."
     
    Modi also interacted with army chief General Dalbir Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval ostensibly on the ceasefire violations by Pakistan.
     
    The latest string of Pakistan ceasefire violations on the 700 km-Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border started Oct 3. The number of people killed in shelling and firing by Pakistan on civilian areas in Jammu region has now gone up to seven, while the number of the injured has shot up to 55.
     
    Panic gripped the border villages in Jammu as shells landed with fierce intensity on homes, shattering windows and leaving the walls with gaping holes and cracks. 
     
    The bloodied and wounded were carried to hospital, while the locals scurried to safety and spent a sleepless night. Pakistani troopers fired through Tuesday night and did not stop as the day broke Wednesday.
     
    A senior police officer said: "Two people have died and five are injured in Pakistan mortar shelling in Chilyari village in Samba district today (Wednesday). The injured have been shifted to Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Jammu city for treatment."
     
    The two who died Wednesday were a 70-year-old woman and her daughter-in-law, the officer said.
     
    "BSF is also retaliating effectively to silence Pakistan guns in the area," the officer added.
     
    Sources said a high-level meeting was held in the union home ministry over ceasefire violations, which was attended by Home Secretary Anil Goswami and other senior officials.
     
    They said the home secretary, later, briefed Doval about the situation.
     
    Meanwhile, top sources said India would not seek a flag meeting till Pakistan stops firing. Retaliatory firing will continue, they added.
     
    The top sources said Pakistan was resorting to such firing in a bid to internationalise the Kashmir issue as India has foiled all its such attempts.
     
    They also said India was prepared for a long haul.
     
    In retaliation to Pakistan targeting civilian habitations in Jammu and Kashmir, the union home ministry Wednesday put on hold a scheduled flag meeting between Pakistan and Indian paramilitary forces to discuss the recent hostilities.
     
    As many as 20 people, including 15 civilians, were injured in overnight Pakistani firing at the border.
     
    "Four army soldiers were injured in Pakistan firing on the LoC in Poonch district, one BSF trooper and 15 civilians were injured in firing by Pakistan Rangers on the International Border in Jammu district during the night," a senior police officer told IANS in Jammu.
     
    "Pakistan has again started firing at BSF positions and civilian areas in Hira Nagar sector of the border in Kathua district Wednesday morning," he said.
     
    The Indian Air Force chief, who is also the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, said the government "has taken diplomatic steps and is making all efforts to bring it (firing) to an end. We are all concerned and want an early solution to it. The security forces are working towards it".
     
    "It is a serious issue, it should not have happened...The government is taking it seriously...We want peace, tranquility, and good relations with neighbours," Air Chief Marshal Saha said after the 82nd Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon Air Force Station on the outskirts of Delhi.
    Pakistan dragged the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) into the current situation along the Line of Control. 
     
    "UNMOGIP must be enabled to play its role in monitoring the ceasefire," Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Masood Khan told the General Assembly Tuesday.
     
    He said: "...We call upon the Indian government to immediately cease fire and help us preserve tranquility."
     
    The current round to cross-border firings resumed after an almost month-long lull. It has been described by Indian officials as the worst cease-fire violations since 2003.
     
    Khan's mention of the UNMOGIP comes after India signalled that it considers the group has outlived its utility.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    India, Australia ink deal on uranium exports, to boost defence ties

    India, Australia ink deal on uranium exports, to boost defence ties
    India and Australia Friday inked a long-awaited civil nuclear agreement to enable Australia to export uranium to energy-starved India and also agreed to step up their political, security and defence cooperation as visiting Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott held talks with his counterpart Narendra Modi here.

    India, Australia ink deal on uranium exports, to boost defence ties

    Modi reaches out to 500-million-plus audience on Teachers' Day

    Modi reaches out to 500-million-plus audience on Teachers' Day
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again demonstrated that he is a man of the masses as he addressed millions of students and teachers across the nation and took questions from them in a first-of-its-kind live mass contact event on Teachers’ Day, striking a chord with them as he laughed and chatted and recounted events from his childhood.

    Modi reaches out to 500-million-plus audience on Teachers' Day

    Canada leading international effort to develop standards for 'flushable wipes'

    Canada leading international effort to develop standards for 'flushable wipes'
    OTTAWA - Canada is leading an international work group to come up with an industry-wide standard on so-called flushable wipes.

    Canada leading international effort to develop standards for 'flushable wipes'

    Modi's mass contact with India's students on Teachers' Day

    Modi's mass contact with India's students on Teachers' Day
    In the first mass contact programme of its kind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact live with millions of young students and teachers across the nation...

    Modi's mass contact with India's students on Teachers' Day

    India, Pakistan hold flag meeting on LoC

    India, Pakistan hold flag meeting on LoC
    A flag meeting between Indian and Pakistani army commanders was held on the Line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district...

    India, Pakistan hold flag meeting on LoC

    Preity-Ness case: Four new witnesses support Wadia

    Preity-Ness case: Four new witnesses support Wadia
    Four new witnesses called by industrialist Ness Wadia in connection with allegations levelled against him by actress Preity Zinta informed the...

    Preity-Ness case: Four new witnesses support Wadia