Indian Army rebuts Pak Army charge of targetting troops, civilians in PoK

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): The Indian Army on Monday rejected and rebutted the Pakistan Army's charge of its soldiers targeting of Pakistan Army troops and civilians, which had resulted in the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan occupied Kashmir opposite India's Keran Sector in Kupwara District. A statement to this effect was issued by Col. Aman Anand, PRO (Army) on Monday. He said in his statement that India's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt, in response, highlighted all the ceasefire violations that were initiated by Pakistan Army and added that the Indian Army had only responded appropriately to them. Apart from these, Lt. Gen. Bhatt said that firing by Indian troops was initiated against armed intruders when attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pakistani posts along the Line of Control (LC). DGMO Lt. Gen. Bhatt also put across emphatically that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with active support of Pakistan forward posts impacting peace and tranquillity along the LoC and also the internal security situation. "This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani Army troops," he said. The DGMO made it implicit that the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire but is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC, provided there was reciprocity. (ANI)