Srinagar: In the early hours of Saturday, the Indian Army initiated a large-scale search operation near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. This came in response to an incident of firing at a forward location, indicating a potential infiltration attempt by a group of individuals, possibly militants, from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) the previous night. The Indian Army swiftly responded by employing small-caliber weapons to thwart their efforts.
At daybreak on Saturday, the Army commenced the search operation to ensure that no militants or narcotic smugglers had successfully crossed over into Jammu and Kashmir from across the LoC. As of the latest reports, the searches are still ongoing.
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) alleged that two civilians were killed and another was critically injured when Indian troops "indiscriminately fired" upon a group of shepherds in the Sattwal sector on the Pakistani side of the LoC on Saturday.
The ISPR condemned the incident, accusing the Indian forces of adopting an inhumane approach toward innocent Kashmiris and claimed that this action was driven by a geopolitical agenda. The statement warned of a potential response from Pakistan to safeguard the lives of Kashmiris along the LoC, while also urging India to respect the basic human rights of Kashmiris.
The Pakistani authorities identified the deceased as Obaid Qayyum, 22, and Muhammad Qasim, 55, both residents of Bara Dari Tetrinote village in the Hajira tehsil of Pakistani-administered Poonch district.
