India creating war-like situation at LoC: AJK president

Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Saturday condemned in the strongest terms the unprovoked shelling by Indian forces in different sectors including Neelum valley and the consequential loss of human life and property. In a statement, he said that India's cowardly acts could not demoralise the people of Azad Kashmir and called upon the international community to take notice of Indian terrorism and war crimes against the civilian population residing along the LoC.

Regretting martyrdom of a child and injuries to nine other citizens in Indian shelling continuing in Changan, Doodhnial and Sharda areas of Neelum valley since yesterday, he expressed sympathy with the bereaved families. The AJK president said that the Indian Army was using cluster ammunition from across the LoC, which was a war crime under cluster ammunition convention, and India itself is a signatory to it.

"Under a well thought out strategy, India is escalating tension at the LoC to divert the world's attention from the situation of occupied Kashmir," he said adding that India was openly committing terrorism in both parts of the Kashmir region, and it will have to pay its heavy price. Sardar Masood Khan said that the people of Azad Kashmir side by side with valiant armed forces of Pakistan were ready to give a befitting response to any adventurism by India.

"The whole Pakistani nation and the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir are united and unanimous against India and in support of the liberation movement of people of occupied territory," he added. The AJK president warned that India would never be able to compel the Kashmiri people to give up their liberation struggle because the morale of the Kashmiri people was higher than the Himalayas.

The incumbent Indian rulers must keep in mind that once Nazi Germany was also a power, but a time came that it had to become answerable for each and every act of repression, he added. Sardar Masood Khan called upon the international community to hold India answerable for a breach of international laws, and mount pressure on it to prevent it from fanning war hysteria and escalating tension in the region.