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India, Pakistan DGMOs allege escalation and LoC violations
Friday hotline interaction was requested by Pakistan
The Indian and Pakistani armies are once against advancing claims and counter claims on the deteriorating situation on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. This was witnessed on Friday evening when the two Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) had an unscheduled hotline contact. Both sides alleged each other of being responsible for the escalation.
Sources said that Indian Army has asked Pakistan military to stop supporting terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that it will continue to take all “retaliatory measures” to foil Pakistan’s evil designs.
Lt Gen Anil Chauhan, Indian Army’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) told his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza that the onus on bringing down tension along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir lies with Pakistan.
Read More: Pakistan warns India against war hysteria
The Indian army official further conveyed to his Pakistan counterpart that support to terrorism by Pakistan Army was unacceptable and the India will continue to take all retaliatory measures.
“The onus of de-escalation along the LoC rests with Pakistan Army provided they stop supporting terrorists and put an end to unprovoked ceasefire violations to abet infiltration,” the Army said.
The unscheduled hotline interaction took place following a request by Pakistan. Both sides have confirmed this.
Meanwhile, Dawn, a leading Pakistani newspaper, quoting a statement Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) issued at its headquarters in Rawalpindi on Saturday evening, reports that Pakistan Army has told Indian military that its ceasefire violations along the LoC are escalating an already tense situation. It claimed that this adds to the miseries of people living along the LoC, 219 of whom have already fallen victim to the “Indian shelling” this year.
Read More: Pakistan asks India: Resolve Kashmir issue for normalizing ties
The ISPR statement said, “Hotline contact was established between Pakistani and Indian DGMO on 27 April. DGMO Pakistan Army took up the issue of continuing surge in ceasefire violations (CFVs) by Indian Army along LoC / WB (Working Boundary). He also highlighted deliberate targeting of innocent civilians residing along LoC / WB by Indian forces on false pretext of reaction against alleged cross LoC / WB infiltration.”
Maj Mirza, the Pakistani DGMO, has also alleged that India was indulging in escalation.
The ISPR official statement further said, “DGMO Pakistan said that such unprofessional and unethical acts are provocative, detrimental to the peace, vitiate the situation along LoC and also contribute towards further escalation.”
However Indian sources said on Friday evening, “Indian Army DGMO emphatically stated that retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out in response to unabated support given by Pakistan Army to armed terrorists who infiltrate across the border and target Indian Army posts with heavy calibre weapons.”
According to Indian sources, the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spurt in ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops in the last few months and the Indian Army has been retaliating effectively to Pakistani actions.
Earlier on Thursday, Mohammad Faisal, spokesman for Pakistan Foreign Office, in his statement said, “The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 1,000 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.”
He further said, “The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.”
On 29 September 2016, India had conducted “surgical strikes” against terrorist launch pads across the LoC and inflicted “significant casualties”. Some 35 to 50 casualties were reported. However, Pakistan denied the Indian claim stating that Indian forces had not crossed the LoC but had only skirmished with Pakistani troops.
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Canadian High Commission asks Centre to ensure safety, security of its diplomats, staff in India
The High Commission affirmed that all consulates in India are open and operational and will continue to serve clients.
Amidst rising tensions between India and Canada, the Canadian High Commission on Thursday asserted that some of its diplomats have received threats on social media. It urged India to provide security for Canadian diplomats and consular officers in the country. The High Commission further revealed that it has decided to temporarily adjust its staff presence in the country.
The High Commission also affirmed that all consulates in India are open and operational and will continue to serve clients. It added that in the view of the current environment where tensions have heightened, they are taking action to ascertain the safety of their diplomats. It further underlined that Global Affairs Canada is continuously supervising the safety and security of their missions and personnel as they maintain a strict security protocol to respond to any events.
On the other hand, the Vancouver Police Department has tightened security outside India’s Consulate amid planned threats from proscribed group Sikhs for Justice after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian government agents were responsible for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Const. Tania Visintin, the department’s media relations officer, noted that Vancouver police are not aware of any specific threats to Indian consular officials, but have increased police presence at the downtown Vancouver consulate.
In a shocking claim on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed the country’s security agencies were investigating a link between the Indian government and the killing of Nijjar. Following this, both India and Canada have been engaged in a diplomatic standoff. Earlier on Thursday, India suspended visa services for Canadian nationals until further notice owing to operation reasons.
In a meeting that was held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly conveyed strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada, promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship.
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Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi claims responsibility for Sukhdool Singh’s killing in Canada
Terming Sukhdool Singh, a drug addict, Bishnoi’s gang claimed that he destroyed the lives of many people and that he was untimely punished for his sins.
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has reportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of terrorist Sukhdool Singh in Canada’s Winnipeg city. According to reports, in a Facebook post, Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang stated that Sukhdool Singh, aka Sukha Dunuke, had played a pivotal role in the killings of gangsters Gurlal Brar and Vicky Middkhera. They further alleged that the murders were plotted by Sukhdool Singh when he was staying abroad.
Terming Sukhdool Singh, a drug addict, Bishnoi’s gang claimed that he destroyed the lives of many people and that he was untimely punished for his sins. Lawrence Bishno’s gang also alleged that Sukhdool Singh, a member of Davinder Bambiha, also got Sandeep Nangal Ambiya, another gangster, killed. They added that it gave a stern warning to their enemies, stating they would not be able to live in peace, even if they hide in India or any other country.
The Killing of Sukhdool Singh came amid growing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the killing of another Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British California. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was wanted in India, was gunned down outside a gurdwara in June.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Bishnoi is currently behind bars in Ahmedabad in a drugs smuggling case probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). In addition, he is also an accused in the Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala murder case.
Sukhdool Singh is reportedly an A-category gangster, who hailed from Punjab’s Moga and earlier escaped from his state to Canada. He was an aide of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala. As far as reports are concerned, in 2017, Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha Dunuke obtained a passport and a police clearance certificate on forged documents to flee to Canada despite having seven criminal cases lodged against him.
Reports suggested that Sukhdool Singh, an aide of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, was killed in an inter-gang rivalry.
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May 9 violence: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan charged with criminal conspiracy
Khan is charged with storming the city’s Askari Tower and Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9 along with many PTI leaders and employees.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been accused of masterminding the attack on army sites and encouraging the populace to mutiny, a charge that carries a possible sentence of the death penalty, a senior Punjab Police official said on Wednesday.
Following Khan’s May 9 arrest by the paramilitary Rangers in a corruption case, Pakistan saw widespread anti-government demonstrations on a large scale. Later, 70-year-old Khan was released on bond.
During the riots, several of military facilities and government structures, including the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, were destroyed or set on fire. More than 100 police and other security agency vehicles caught fire.
Khan is charged with storming the city’s Askari Tower and Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9 along with many PTI leaders and employees.
Anoosh Masood, a senior investigating officer with the Lahore police, announced at a press conference that Khan and other PTI leaders and employees have been charged with criminal conspiracy for encouraging supporters to destroy military and government facilities on May 9.
The PTI chairman was masterminding the attacks on military posts and instigating people to violence, according to the police investigation into the events of May 9 in Lahore, she claimed.
Along with violating Section 120-B, Khan and others will also be held accountable for nine more offences, including inciting riots, encouraging mutiny, and attempting to wage war against Pakistan. The police detectives and prosecutors have filed a challan for the case, which will be delivered to the Anti-Terrorism Court Lahore, Masood added.
Since August 5, 2023, Khan has been detained in the Punjab province’s Attock Jail. He was detained in connection with the Toshakhana (gifts) case, and a three-year sentence was subsequently imposed. After the higher court postponed the judgement, he was later given bail in the case. He was detained once more under the Official Secrets Act in the cypher case, nevertheless.
Khan has applied for post-arrest bail in the cypher case before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
