109 killed in Pakistan firing on Jammu and Kashmir borders since 2016: RTI reply

At least 109 people, including 56 security personnel, were killed in 2,855 incidents of cross-border firing and ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces along the border in Jammu and Kashmir between January 2016 and July this year, an RTI response has revealed.

The information provided by the Kashmir desk of the Union home ministry to Jammu-based RTI activist Raman Sharma showed a steep increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces this year, compared to 2016 and 2017 along the international border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC).

Till July, there were 1,435 ceasefire violations by Pakistan as compared to 449 in 2016 and 971 in 2017.

The numbers showed that firing and violations by Pakistani forces increased post the surgical strikes by the Indian Army on terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), two years back on September 29.

The home ministry’s response stated that during the period, 35 armymen and 21 BSF personnel were killed.

Also, 28 civilians were killed this year, more than the combined figures of 2016 and 2017 — 13 and 12.

Besides, since January 2016 till this July, 565 people, including 263 security personnel, had been injured. This number comprised 302 civilans, the home ministry response said.

First Published: Sep 30, 2018 17:06 IST