The Human Cost of Cross-Border Firing in J&K

The recent and ongoing exchange of fire along the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has occupied centre stage in the Indian media space. However, no one is talikng about the toll this firing is taking on the civilian populations on both sides of the border.

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, released a statement on May 21, which said, “Indian troops initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along Working Boundary targeting civil population with mortars and heavy weapons in Harpal and Charwah Sector since early morning. Pakistan Rangers Punjab effectively responding and targeting those Indian posts which initiated the fire. Intermittent fire continues.”

Dawn had reported that the firing had begun when a man was gunned down in Pakistan’s Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) Poonch district last Tuesday. According to a police official, the man was gunned down at about 12:15 PM when he was trimming a tree in the courtyard of his house for his goats. The deceased, who was identified as Muzaffar Chaudhry aka Mangu, was rushed to a nearby hospital but doctors declared him as dead on arrival.

The Daily Times reported that at least four civilians were killed, three among whom were children. Additionally, the ISPR has claimed that the Indian forces targeted civilians along the working boundary.

The Pakistani Foreign Office (FO) had summoned the Indian High Commissioner last Friday over the killing of civilians and Indian violations. He had also handed over a letter of protest to the High Commissioner.

Dawn had also quoted State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) as saying “In 2017, 46 civilians were killed in similar attacks and another 262 wounded, while the number of the deceased and injured persons in 2016 was 41 and 142 respectively.”

On the Indian side, the toll has reached seven persons, including two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans and an eight-month-old infant. The firing from the Pakistani side has also injured eighteen other persons.

Reports say that state has witnessed an increase in shelling and firing along the international border and the Line of Control (LoC) this year by Pakistani forces. According to The Hindu, over 700 such incidents have been reported this year, which have left a total of 39 people, including 18 security personnel, dead and scores injured.

India claims that it was the Pakistani side that had begun the firing by violating the ceasefire. Chief Minister of J&K, Mehbooba Mufti, while offering condolences to the victim families said, “Border firing is a cause of pain and worry. Sad while our country took the lead in starting peace initiatives with cessation of operations during Ramzan. Pakistan has shown no respect whatsoever for this holy month. Pakistan will have to reciprocate. Violence is a zero-sum game.”

During the cross-border firing in January, the Union Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Ahir had given out a statement that said, "The home minister has said we should not fire the first bullet. But if one bullet is fired from their side, we should respond with 10." Now, there is a spiral of violence, with each side blaming the other for instigation and then upping the ante in response.

At the same time, the Indian media has been caught up in the narrative of the Pakistan Rangers having to plead to the BSF to cease fire and of having betrayed this plea by resuming the violations.