Two unarmed Pakistani civilians were killed and another was injured in firing by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) near the international border in Kasur, security sources told ARY News.
According to security sources, BSF personnel opened fire on three Pakistani citizens near the Kasur border. The sources said the civilians were targeted without warning after moving only a few steps beyond a Pakistani border pillar.
Two civilians were killed in the firing while another sustained injuries.
The deceased were identified as Azmat Rasool, son of Attaullah, and Mohsin Jutt. Both belonged to Jattan Wali Haveli.
Security sources said none of the three Pakistanis had attempted to cross the border fence.
According to the sources, firing on Pakistani citizens was an open violation of the border agreement and standard operating procedures.
Indian media also described the incident as an infiltration attempt. Security sources rejected the claim, saying none of the three Pakistani citizens had attempted to cross the border fence.
The incident occurred a day after Indian claims that an alleged terrorist linked to the Pakistan Army had been killed in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The individual named in the reports was presented during a press conference at General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi.
Addressing the press conference, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Indian media initially claimed that the alleged terrorist was a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba before later releasing a picture and claiming that the slain individual was a former Pakistan Army serviceman who had retired as a Havaldar from the Special Services Group (SSG) after performing VVIP duties.
At the outset of his address, the military spokesperson said he would expose what he described as India’s “so-called terrorist incident” and a “false flag” staged by the Indian political-military establishment.
After presenting the reports to the media, Lt Gen Chaudhry invited Asif to the podium.
Asif told journalists that he was a resident of Pindi Gheb in Attock district and had learned about his alleged death through calls from friends and family.
“I am a resident of Pindi Gheb, Attock district. I came to know about my martyrdom at the hands of Indians through social media,” he said, adding that Indian media had carried false propaganda against him.
He rejected the allegations that he was involved in terrorist incidents.
The DG ISPR said the Indian corps had claimed to have killed a retired SSG Havaldar and recovered his body. He said such claims were not new and alleged that India had been carrying out what he described as false flag operations against Pakistan for decades.
“Unfortunately, we have a low-life neighbor, who thinks that everything can be solved through terrorism,” he said.
Asked what would happen if India launched an attack based on the reported killing of a Pakistani Army official in an encounter, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan was always ready.
“But let me make it very clear that this time Pakistan would inflict a cost that will be very severe, and the retribution will be really harsh,” he said.
