The Newshour Debate: Pakistan takes aim at civilians - Part 2 (6th Oct 2014)

In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists - Sheshadri ChariConvenor, Foreign Affairs Cell & Member, National Executive, BJP; Maj Gen (Retd) G D Bakshi, Editor, Indian Military Review & Defence Analyst; Mahesh Jethmalani, Sr Advocate; Air Vice Marshall (Retd) Abid Rao, Defence Analyst; Moshraff Zaidi, Columnist & Former Diplomat; and Barrister Zafarullah KhanSr Advocate & President, Watan Party -- discuss the issue of Pakistan now resorting to target innocents along the border; and 5 killed in border hamlet hit by Pak firing. In one of the worst ceasefire violations by Pakistan, 5 villagers were killed and 34 injured on Oct 6 in heavy mortar shelling and firing from across the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Poonch sectors, triggering strong condemnation by India. Pakistani troops indulged in heavy and unprovoked firing and shelling of mortars on 10 border outposts (BoPs) and civilian areas along international border (IB) in Arnia belt of Jammu district from 10 PM spilling over to this morning. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley deplored the ceasefire violations from across the border and said the Indian armed forces were "fully ready" and are responding to each of these provocations from across the border. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Pakistan should stop ceasefire violations now and understand the reality that times have changed in India." J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who flew to Jammu immediately after his Eid prayers in Srinagar, strongly condemned the shelling on civilians, saying targeting them exposed the frustration of the Pakistani government after its failure to gain international attention on the Kashmir issue. There were some reports of people moving out of the affected areas, fearing fresh attacks. The Pakistani troops also resorted to mortar shelling and firing on forward posts along LoC in Bhimber Gali belt of Poonch district since 0830 hours. A large number of houses were damaged and livestock perished in the firing and shelling. Condemning Pakistan's actions, former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said it is despicable that such incidents have occurred on Eid. "There cannot be anything worse than this," the Congress leader said. Party leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, asked why Modi government was "keeping silent". There have been a dozen ceasefire violations along Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir during the last four days. On Oct 5, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by unprovoked and heavy firing on Indian forward posts along LoC in Balnoie sub-sector of Poonch district. On Oct 4, Pakistani troops resorted to firing and mortar shelling along LoC in Poonch district, drawing retaliation from Army. On Oct 3, Pakistani troops and rangers violated ceasefire in Gulmarg sector of Kashmir Valley and in Poonch in which a girl was killed and six persons injured. On Oct 1 and 2, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire two times along LoC in Poonch district resulting in injuries to six people, including three women.