New Delhi:
The Indian Army on Saturday termed Pakistan’s allegations of firing of “cluster bombs” across the border as “lie, deceit and deception”. “Such responses are only against military targets and infiltrating terrorists who are aided by the Pakistan Army. Allegations of firing of cluster bombs by India is yet another Pakistan's lie, deceit & deception,” the army said in a statement.
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), earlier in the day, claimed that the Indian Army earlier this week used “cluster ammunition” to target the civilian population in across the Line of Control (LoC) “in violation of the Geneva Convention and international law”.
According to the statement, the Indian Army on the night of July 30/July 31 targeted “innocent citizens”, including women and children in Neelum Valley, through artillery using cluster ammunition. The attack left two civilians, including a 4-year-old boy, dead and 11 others were critically injured.
"This is [a] violation of Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law," the military's media wing said.
"This blatant Indian aggression against all international norms exposes true character of Indian Army and their moral standing," the ISPR statement said.
ISPR director general Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor condemned the Indian Army's use of cluster bombs in violation of international conventions.
"No weapon can suppress [the] determination of Kashmiris to get their right of self-determination," he said in a tweet. "Kashmir runs in [the] blood of every Pakistani. Indigenous freedom struggle of Kashmiris shall succeed, IA,” he added.
“The Pakistan army regularly attempts to push terrorists through infiltrations and opens up with multitude of weapons to assist them. India during numerous Directorate of Military Operations level talks, has maintained the right to respond,” the Indian Army said.
