Indian Cluster Shells Still Threaten Civilians In AJK: Ali Raza Syed

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Oct, 2022 ) :, Oct 22 (APP)::Chairman Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU) Ali Raza Syed has said that cluster shells fired by the Indian forces in recent years on the remote areas of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) along the line of control (LoC) are still dangerous for the civilian population of these areas.

Chairman of KC-EU Ali Raza Syed accompanied by a foreign delegation that visited the affected areas of LoC recently, talking to journalists at his local residence on Saturday said, Indian forces deployed on LoC use cluster bombs to target the civilian population in AJK across the Line of Control (LoC) in violation of the Geneva Convention and other international laws.

It is important to mention that previously Pakistan has also officially accused India of using cluster ammunition against the civilian population in Azad Kashmir.

He said, the foreign delegation visited the victim families in AJK living along with LoC and refugees settled in various areas of the territory.

He said, recently two Kashmiri children who were visiting their relatives near LoC found cluster shells and took them as toys to their home. Later, both the children died when the shells exploded.

It is recalled that in July 2019, above 30 innocent citizens including women and children were targeted in Neelum Valley of AJK through the Indian artillery using cluster ammunition. That attack had left two civilians, including a 4-year-old boy, dead and 11 others were critically injured.

The chair of KC-EU said such attacks are violation of international humanitarian law because the use of cluster ammunition is prohibited under the Geneva Convention on Cluster Ammunition due to its severe impact on non-combatants. The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions.

Raza Syed said, Indian forces are not only involved in human rights abuses in the occupied Kashmir but also violating international laws by attacking on the civilians in Azad Kashmir.

He added, Kashmir Council Europe will continue its struggle to create awareness among the masses in the west including Europe about cross-border Indian attacks through using cluster bombs on civilians in Azad Kashmir and the violations of human rights in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir committed by Indian authorities.