Pakistan targeting Indian civilians deliberately: BSF

BSF Inspector General D K Upadhyay, said his force does not target civilian population of Pakistan and to buttress his point, he released a video clip showing targeting of a military post across the International Border, amid assertion that 14 Pakistani posts had been destroyed in retaliatory fire. “We have replied and retaliated almost on all the posts where from the fire has come,” he said. In Delhi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government will do whatever necessary “to protect the honour and prestige of the country.” 

Addressing a press conference here amid escalation on the border, Upadhyay said, “Pakistan Rangers have violated ceasefire “countless” times in recent past and Pakistan Army is giving full support to its paramilitary force. “Pakistani forces are firing heavy mortars deliberately towards Indian civilian areas. BSF never fires towards any Pakistani civilian area. We fire only towards military bunkers from where Pakistani forces fire. We have inflicted heavy damage on 14 Pakistani bunkers,” he said. Upadhyay said if there was any civilian casualty in the Pakistani side, it was because the civilian population live very close to the military bunkers that might have resulted in “collateral” damage. The senior officer of the Border Security Force also showed images of BSF’s firing which targeted only military bunkers in Pakistan.