Government should call off NSA level talks with Pakistan: Congress' Manish Tiwari

Delhi: Congress leader and former union minister, Manish Tiwari said on Sunday that the government should call off NSA level talks with Pakistan given the fact that innocent villagers were being killed in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Innocent villagers slaughtered by merciless firing. Why NSA level talks under such circumstances? It seems Pakistan armed forces are giving 21 gun salute to manner in which BJP government compromised unity and integrity of India in Ufa,” Tewari said on ceasefire violations.

“Government of India must call off NSA level talks. There should be no contact with Pakistan until this brutality is ceased,” he added, as per ANI.

A woman was killed in heavy firing and mortar bomb shelling by Pakistani troops at several Indian posts and civilian areas today, raising the death toll to six in multiple ceasefire violations along the LoC in Poonch district overnight.

Army retaliated effectively and heavy exchanges are going on.

Today is the eight day of continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistan, which has resorted to firing and mortar shelling along the LoC in Poonch district since August 9.

Pakistani Army resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and civilian villages in Poonch and Balakote sectors since this morning, Defence Spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said, as per PTI.

In the heavy mortar shelling, a woman identified as Nussarat Bi died in Behrote village in Balakote sector, a police officer said, adding that very heavy mortar shelling of 82 mm mortars is going on.

With her death, the the toll has gone up to six and five other are injured.

There have been 35 violations of the 2003 ceasefire accord in August till yesterday.

On Independence Day yesterday, five civilians, including a sarpanch were killed and five others injured in heavy firing and mortar bomb shelling by Pakistani troops at several Indian posts and civilian areas.

(With Agency inputs)