Firing on schoolchildren not befitting any army: India to Pak DGMO

Lt Gen A K Bhatt told Pak counterpart to exercise strict control, refrain from nefarious activities

The Army's director general of military operations Lt Gen A K Bhatt on Thursday strongly took up with his Pakistani counterpart the issue of Pakistani troops "deliberately targeting" civilians and firing at school children along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

During a telephonic conversation, Bhatt asked Pakistani DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza to exercise "strict control" over his troops and instruct them to refrain from any "nefarious activities", an Army spokesperson said.

The Pakistani DGMO was informed about Pakistani troops deliberately targeting civilian villages and also firing at school children in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district when they were being evacuated from the area on Tuesday.

"This, he (Mirza) was told, does not behove any army. The Indian Army as professional force takes due care to avoid targeting of civilians and Pakistan Army was expected to do the same," Army spokesman Col. Aman Anand said.

Col Anand said the Pakistani DGMO was informed about the spate of ceasefire violations which also included "calibre escalation coupled with incidents of sniping and attempted infiltration".

The two DGMOs had spoken on Monday as well, during which Bhatt told Mirza that the Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

Anand said the Indian Army has been taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of life and property of Indian citizens.

The telephonic call over the hotline was initiated by Lt. Gen. Bhatt to protest Pakistani troops' firing at school children.