- Title: Over 200 Kashmiris protest against Indian shelling
- Date: 24th November 2016
- Summary: MUZAFFARABAD, PAKISTAN (NOVEMBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER AND CHANTING AS THEY MARCH THROUGH STREETS OF MUZAFFARABAD, CAPITAL OF PAKISTANI KASHMIR BANNER THAT READING (URDU): "THE UNITED NATIONS SHOULD IMMEDIATELY TAKE ACTION ON THE INDIAN FORCES' ATROCITIES ON INNOCENT PEOPLE OF NEELUM VALLEY" PROTESTERS CHANTING (Urdu): "THE WAR WILL GO ON TILL THE DESTRUCTION OF INDIA." PROTESTERS CHANTING (Urdu): "THIS IS A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM!" (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) LOCAL HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, UZAIR AHMED GHAZALI, SAYING: "Today we are protesting against the Indian shelling on the Line of Control, on innocent people in the Nakial, Kotli and Neelum valley sectors. Twelve of our people were martyred in the firing. We condemn that and want to warn the world that India is gearing up to destroy the peace in this region." PROTESTERS CHANTING "AL JIHAD! AL JIHAD!" (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) LOCAL ADVOCATE, QAZI SHAHID HAMEED, SAYING: "Relations between India and Pakistan are becoming extremely strained because of Indian terrorism and aggression. This Indian terrorism is going to lead to great devastation in the region, which can cause a huge human tragedy." PROTESTERS SPREADING FLAG WITH INDIAN FLAG AND PICTURES OF INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI AND INDIAN ARMY CHIEF GENERAL DALBIR SINGH SUHAG ON THE ROAD VARIOUS OF FLAG ON FIRE/ PROTESTERS CHANTING (Urdu): "FREEDOM!" PROTESTER SPRINKLING PETROL ON BURNING FLAG AS CROWD CHANTS ANTI-MODI SLOGANS BURNING FLAG/ PROTESTERS CHANTING
- Embargoed: 9th December 2016 15:25
- Keywords: India Pakistan Kashmir
- Location: MUZAFFARABAD , PAKISTAN
- City: MUZAFFARABAD , PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA00159T20JP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Over two hundred residents of Pakistani Kashmir took to the streets of Muzaffarabad, capital of Azad (Pakistani) Kashmir, on Thursday (November 24) to protest against Indian cross-border firing that killed at least 12 people on Wednesday (November 23).
Cross-border shelling from India hit a passenger bus in the disputed Kashmir region on Wednesday killing nine. Officials said three other people, soldiers of the Pakistani army also died in Indian shelling elsewhere in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
A Kashmiri Humans Rights Activist, Uzair Ahmed Ghazali said that they were there to protest the shelling on innocent people in the Nakial, Kotli and Neelum valley sectors.
"Twelve of our people were martyred in the firing. We condemn that and want to warn the world that India is gearing up to destroy the peace in this region," he said.
Lawat, where the bus was hit, is 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Muzaffarabad in the upper belt of the Neelum Valley that straddles the de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
The protesters, who burnt an Indian flag with pictures of the Indian Prime Minister and Army Chief, warned that Indian aggression could lead to escalation of conflict in the region.
"Relations between India and Pakistan are becoming extremely strained because of Indian terrorism and aggression," a local advocate present at the protest, Qazi Shahid Hameed said.
India, in a statement released on Wednesday expressed sympathy to Pakistani civilian casualties but said: "Retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out targeting locations from where Pakistan has initiated ceasefire violations on Indian posts."
Following the incident, Pakistan said it had summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner, J.P. Singh.
Relations between nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India have been strained for several months, while cross-frontier shelling has intensified leading to the deaths of civilians and soldiers stationed along the disputed frontier.
Pakistan said its military killed seven Indian soldiers on Wednesday (November 23).
Kashmir lies at the heart of the tension. The countries have fought two of their three wars over the region since partition and independence from Britain in 1947. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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