No major exchange of fire in Kiran or Neelum Valley: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army on Saturday rubbished reports carried by a section of Indian media that there was a major exchange of fire in Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir.

In a statement on Saturday night, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) noted Indian forces continued to carry out ceasefire violations along the Line of Control. But it clarified that there was no major clash in Neelum Valley.

According to the ISPR, that Pakistan’s response had inflicted heavy casualties to Indian troops and damage to their posts.

“Intermittent CFVs by Indian Army continue along LOC, being befittingly responded. In response to CFV in Dewa Sector reports of damage to Indian posts and heavy casualties to Indian soldiers. No major exchange of fire in Kiran or Neelum valley as being propagated by Indian Media,” the ISPR said in a statement on Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter to criticise the Indian government over its handling of the citizenship law protests. In a series of tweets, he threatened of a “befitting response” from Pakistan in case of an escalation at the border by the Army.

“…Now with the Citizens Amendment Act, all those Indians who want a pluralist India are beginning to protest & it is becoming a mass movement,” Khan wrote on the social networking site.

Pakistan’s PM said that as the protests in India are increasing, “threat to Pakistan from India is also increasing” and the Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s remarks on the situation along the Line of Control adds to Pakistan’s “concerns of a false flag operation”.