Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 16: In worst ever shelling by Pakistan army for the past several years, six civilians including a Sarpanch and a woman were killed and over 20 other civilians including three members of a family were injured as Pakistan resorted to unprecedented shelling with 120 mm and 82 mm mortars directly targeting civilian areas in Balakote, Manjakote, Sabzian, Mandi, Mankot, Hamirpur and surrounding sectors in Poonch and Rajouri districts since last evening forcing several civilians to rush towards safer areas while many others remained trapped in their houses as they were even unable to move to safety due to continued shelling and firing.
This was for the first time in past several years that six civilians were killed and over 20 others injured in day’s shelling by Pakistan army. Last year, five civilians were killed in a night during Pakistan shelling in Arnia town along the International Border (IB). A child was also among the fatalities.
“There is complete war like situation in Balakote. Even in the war, civilians are not targeted directly or indirectly as per United Nation’s Geneva Convention. Here, desperate and ruthless Pakistan army has gone berserk and was raining heavy mortars like 120 mm and 82 mm directly targeting the civilians population and killing them in brutal and barbaric manner,’’ a civilian Nazakat Hussain told the Excelsior on telephone from forward village of Basooni in Balakote sector of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district.
He said such was precarious situation in forward villages of Balakote sector including Basooni, Langiot, Behrot, Panjani, Ghulat, Dharati, Dabbi, Baryani Gali, Sandote etc that the people were neither in a position to live inside their houses nor able to shift to safer areas as Pakistan was shelling uninterruptedly all these and other surrounding villages since 3.30 pm yesterday when the first three casualties took place.
“The people are getting killed and injured inside their houses. A child and a woman were killed inside the houses last night and early today. And those trying to run for safety from the houses are also getting killed or injured. Several cattle have been killed or injured in the firing. More than 50 houses have suffered extensive damage after being hit by mortar shells or splinters in Balakote sector alone,’’ official sources told the Excelsior.
Indian Army was retaliating very effectively to silence the Pakistani guns.
“We have been giving very strong response to Pakistan shelling and firing. Pakistan is getting what it deserved. Our response has been very effective. Pakistan has been taught a lesson,’’ sources said.
They added that 30 kilometers stretch from Bhimber Gali to Mankote was under intense Pakistan shelling and movement of civilians and vehicles, except those dealing with emergency services, has been restricted. Administration has asked people not to venture on this road. The administration has also advised the people living within the firing range not to roam outside the houses.
“We have advised the people to stay inside the houses or, if possible, to reach safer areas. We are also trying to send bullet proof bunkers to worst affected areas to evacuate the people trapped in large numbers there,’’ sources said, adding that Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, Nasir Ahmad Wani, SSP Poonch Jatinder Singh Johar and all other officials of civil and police administration was camping at the nearest places of firing to reach out to the people.
The Deputy Commissioner has ordered closure of all Government schools in Balakote tomorrow.
Such were the war like conditions in Balakote that people and administration has to wait for nearly six hours for burial of six firing victims at village Basooni and Drati, which were hit hard by the Pakistani shelling last night. While five bodies were lying in the local hospital since last evening, body of one of the civilians, who succumbed to his injuries in the Government Medical College Jammu, reached Balakote this morning.
The burial took place this evening after administration and local people reached Basooni graveyard and Army personnel provided shield to the villagers. Only selected people and officials attended the burial.
Sources said Pakistan fired 120 mm mortar shells targeting Balakote town at 3.30 pm yesterday, one of which hit ECCO Van No. 7208 JK12 being driven by Basooni Sarpanch Karamat Hussain Khan, who along with two others was returning after participating in flag hoisting ceremony at Pine Wood School, Hamirpur. Pakistan’s intended target was the school, sources said, adding as heavy shelling started students and staff of the school took shelter inside the building.
Sarpanch Karamat Hussain, 52, son of Walayat Khan, a resident of Basooni, Master Abdul Rehman, 42, son of Khadim Hussain, a resident of Sangiot, who was posted at Darati Government school in Mendhar and Mohammad Amin, 18, son of Mohammad Aziz of Basooni, were returning from the school when the ECCO Van was hit by the shells and entire Balakote town was rattled with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar shells.
While the Sarpanch was killed on spot, the Master died on way to District Hospital, Rajouri and Mohammad Amin succumbed to his injuries soon after being airlifted to Jammu and admitted in the Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu. Another civilian Mohammad Sheraj Khan, 17, son of Mohammad Guldad, a resident of Drati was killed and another shell exploded close to him in Balakote while a 10 years old boy Moin Khan son of Kafeel Khan R/o Basooni was killed when a shell fell inside his house late last evening. A 35 years old woman Nusrat Bi wife of Mohammad Haleem R/o Bharote, Balakote was killed while working in the kitchen when a shell fell on roof of the house and exploded with a bang.
Over 20 civilians have been injured in mortar shelling in Balakote and Sabzian in Poonch sector and Manjakote in Rajouri district.
Pakistan army opened new front in Manjakote sector of Rajouri district at about 3 pm today resorting to mortar shelling on civilian areas. A mortar shell fell on house at village Khorinar in Manjakote sector of Rajouri district at 3 pm today blasting the house and causing serious injuries to all three persons inside.
The injured have been identified as Parveen Akhter, 40, wife of Mohammad Shakir, her son Yassar, 20, and relative Rozia Kousar, 10, daughter of Mohammad Azad. All of them have been admitted in the District Hospital, Poonch. Parveen and Rozia were tonight shifted to the GMC Jammu in view of their critical condition.
Four civilians were injured in shelling at Sabzian sector in Poonch. A number of shells, fired by Pakistan army, landed inside houses of the people. The injured have been identified as Wali Mohammad son of Ali Mohammad, Mohammad Aslam son of Ghulam Mohammad and Mohammad Sharief son of Ghulam Mohammad, all residents of village Lari, Sabzian and Mushtaq Ahmad of village Khet, Sabzian. All of them were admitted in the District Hospital of Poonch.
Five injured of Balakote admitted in the hospitals included Mohammad Rameez, 15, son of Mohammad Aziz, Mohammad Bashir, 26, son of Mohammad Sadiq, Mohammad Amin, 25, son of Mohammad Afzal and Abdul Rehman son of Munshi Khan, all residents of Basooni, Balakote and Shah Nawaz son of Iftikhar R/o Drati, Balakote.
Abdul Rehman was admitted in the District Hospital Rajouri, while all other injured have been shifted to the GMC Jammu.
Rameez, Bashir and Amin were airlifted to Jammu late last evening while Shah Nawaz was referred from Rajouri to Jammu by road.
Sources said some of the injured underwent treatment in the local hospitals for minor splinter injuries.
Last evening, the people protested against lack of ambulances and medicines at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Dhar Galoon, the nearest hospital from Basooni, where dead and injured were first brought before being referred to Rajouri and Jammu. People regretted that despite ongoing shelling, the authorities should have stationed two ambulances in the PHC but regretted that there was none.
They raised slogans against the Health Department and failure to keep ambulances at the sensitive PHC.
Though the authorities were yet to reach many villages affected by the shelling, unconfirmed reports said that nearly 50 houses have suffered extensive damage in mortar shelling so far. A number of cattle have also been either killed or injured in the firing but there was no exact figure as in many villages, people have confined themselves to their houses due to continued shelling.
The Deputy Commissioner, Poonch has given/approved ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh each to next of kin of those killed in the firing and Rs 5000 to the injured.
Sources admitted that the people living right on the LoC were virtually trapped in the continuous shelling.
“As there was no let up in the shelling till this evening, the people in forward villages of shelling hit sectors were forced to take shelter in their houses. There is no safer place for them. Even if the people move towards towns like Balakote, Sabzian or Manjakote, they too fall well within the shelling range of Pakistan army,’’ sources said, adding Pakistan army even didn’t give time to the people to shift to somewhat safer areas, like behind the mountains, which they had been doing earlier due to uninterrupted shelling.
“The condition is very worse here. It’s more than a war for us. The mortar shells or felling around our houses. Just one shell on the target and we will be killed,’’ some of the civilians to whom the Excelsior spoke on telephone in Balakote and Sabzian sectors, said.
Army and administration have installed tents in comparatively safer areas to accommodate the border dwellers, who have managed to leave their houses in the shelling.
However, authorities have approached all Sarpanchs on telephones or through other modes of communication and asked them to advise the people not to road outside their houses and confine them to concrete buildings as far as possible. The people have been asked to reach safer areas only when the shelling stops but, according to sources, this was not happening. There was some respite in the shelling at Balakote late in the evening but it intensified at Sabzian and Manjakote.
Authorities have also restricted movement of civilians and private vehicles along BG-Balakote road excepting the emergency vehicles.
There have been 35 violations of the 2003 ceasefire accord in August till yesterday.
The offensive on I-day came even as Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sent his greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying promoting friendly ties between the two neighbours was in mutual interest.
On August 14, Pakistani troops had resorted to firing of 60 mm and 82 mm mortar shells on forward posts and civilian areas along LoC in Mandi, Hamirpur and Sabzian sectors.
Pakistani troops had also fired on forward posts along the LoC in Balakote belt with automatic, small arms and mortar bombs on the intervening night of August 13 and 14.
On August 13, Pakistani troops had resorted to firing by small arms and automatic weapons on forward posts along the LoC in Bhimber Gali (BG) sector of Poonch district, in which one jawan was injured.
There were four ceasefire violations in three sectors of Krishna Ghatm, Bhimber Gali and Pallanwala in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts on the intervening night of August 12-13.
Last month, there were 19 ceasefire violations in which four persons, including three jawans, were killed and 14 others injured in the State.
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