HIGHLIGHTS

• ? Indian DGMO Lt-General A K Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart to exercise “strict control” over his troops

• ? Lt-Gen Bhatt said Pakistan army had deliberately targeted villages and also fired at kids in Nowshera sector

  NEW DELHI: India on Thursday accused Pakistan of “deliberately targeting” villages and school children in ceasefire violations across the Line of Control, which remains volatile with the two armies exchanging heavy fire on a daily basis in Jammu & Kashmir.

  Indian director general of military operations Lt-General A K Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza over the hotline to exercise “strict control” over his troops and instruct them to refrain from any “nefarious activities”.

  During the telephonic conversation at about 3.30pm on Thursday, Lt-Gen Bhatt said Pakistan army troops had deliberately targeted villages and also fired at school children in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district when they were being evacuated from the area on Tuesday.

  “The Pak army DGMO was told such activities did not behove any professional army. The Indian Army, as a professional force, takes due care to avoid targeting of civilians and the Pak Army was expected to do the same,” said Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand.

  The Pakistan DGMO was also informed about “the spate in ceasefire violations which also included “calibre escalation (use of heavy weapons), coupled with incidents of sniping and attempted infiltration” by terrorists backed by his force. Over 240 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC have been recorded this year.