Opinion | Target of Civilians through Cross LoC Firing by Pakistan

The Line of Control (LoC), dividing India and Pakistan in the region of contested Jammu and Kashmir, has historically been a zone of military tension. But of late, the dynamics of conflict along the LoC have taken a sinister turn. The Pakistani side has increasingly started targeting civilian populations instead of limiting action to military targets. These attacks have caused the unfortunate loss of innocent lives, extensive damage to residences, and large-scale displacement of border residents. Women, children, and the elderly have been the hardest hit, suffering from constant fear due to incessant ceasefire violations. Irrespective of several agreements made to ensure peace, Pakistan’s persistent violations clearly reflect a blatant disregard for international norms and human rights.

India, determined to preserve its sovereignty is the only state that has exercised such restraint in accurately defending its citizens. Its soldiers have prioritized civilian safety, often absorbing provocations without escalating tensions. However, the systematic killing of civilians is a grave humanitarian catastrophe and needs immediate attention from the international community. The crisis reached an acute level after the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which resulted in 26 deaths, both of tourists and the local population. The attack evoked national indignation and demanded a stern action against the perpetrators.

As a response to the Pahalgam strike, India carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’ on 7 May 2025. This operation was a deliberate military strike against terrorist infrastructure and locations in Pakistan, and PoK. The mission included high-precision bombing and missiles strikes and inflicted significant destruction on the terror groups operating from Pakistan. India’s response was condemningly recognized as an attempted act of self-defense, and the international community conceded India’s right to defend its people against terrorism funding from abroad. The operation was a pivotal moment in India’s anti-terrorism campaign as it demonstrated India’s resolve to neutralize threats to national security.

But instead of checking its aggressive posture, Pakistan responded with heightened cross-border shelling. What characterized a severe turn of events in this round of violence was the decision on the part of Pakistan to target not only military posts but also civilian villages and towns. This targeting created havoc and panic among thousands residing in the border regions. The Poonch region, specifically, witnessed some of the heaviest casualties in the course of this cycle of violence.

On the same day of Operation Sindoor, May 7, Pakistani artillery killed thirteen civilians in Poonch, four of them being children. All the villages like Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, and Kerni were subjected to continous shelling. The saddest moment came when five-year-old Mariyam was killed by shrapnel injuries in the arms of her father. Her eight-year-old sister, Iram Naaz, was badly injured in the same raid. These tragic events underscore the human toll of Pakistan’s aggressive activities, which have ignored all standards of civilized conflict and warfare.

The firing was not limited to Poonch only. In Baramulla’s Uri sector, One Killed and ten civilians, five of them being children, were wounded when mortar shells hit residential areas. Simultaneously, Pakistani shelling in Kupwara’s Karnah sector burned a few houses, leaving the people to evacuate their dwellings. In Tangdhar, another Kupwara village, shells fell directly inside residential areas, resulting in property damage and injuries to civilians. The constant intensity of the attacks transformed villages into war zones, and families were left with no option but to turn to underground bunkers or flee to safer zones.

As the intensity of the attacks picked up, the ground reality was transformed into an all-out humanitarian crisis. In Dhaki village alone, over 150 villagers were forced to flee after their homes were destroyed or damaged. They had to leave their livelihoods and possessions behind and take shelter in temporary camps or nearby towns. Most had no chance to prepare and plan, surprised by the sudden escalation of violence. The psychological and emotional toll of such disruption has traumatized communities and left them in desperate need of assistance.

Normal life in the disrupted border regions has been totally affected. Schools have been closed permanently, markets are empty, and basic services like healthcare and transport are unavailable or run at a minimal level. Kids, especially, have exhibited such extreme mental stress that most of them cannot sleep or go to school as a result of trauma and fear. The previously ordinary rhythm of life in such villages has been disrupted, with such villages now living in constant struggle to be safe and stable.

As the violence continues on, the international community has begun to express concern rising over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly the continued targeting of civilians on the LoC. Several nations as well as international institutions have urged restraint and urged both sides to go back to the negotiating table. On the ground, though, not much has changed. India keeps asserting that its actions are a reaction to cross-border terrorism and asserts its right to protect its citizens. Pakistan, on the other hand, blames India for unprovoked aggression and refutes any role in cross-border terrorism.

The lack of a sustained and impartial diplomatic mechanism has instead aggravated the situation. Without such regular communication and establishment of trust between the two parties, misunderstandings and flare-ups are sure to rise. The most unfortunate victims of this impasse are the civilians residing close to the border caught up in a deadly war, not their own. Their agony is a painful reminder of the imperative need for a solution that values human life and dignity above political competition and military bluff.

India has reaffirmed its commitment to defending its people in accordance with international humanitarian principles. Acts like Sindoor are for disbanding terror networks only and are carried out in maximum caution in order not to harm civilians. But when the other party goes out of its way to target innocent lives, the conflict acquires a more perilous nature. Pakistan’s intentional targeting of civilians deserves automatic condemnation by the international community and demands tangible diplomatic pressure.

This latest escalation emphasizes the pressing imperative of resumed diplomatic efforts. A lasting solution doesn’t come from war but from genuine dialogue however tenuous it is now. Confidence-building measures and, if necessary, third-party facilitation must be tried to achieve a future in which frontiers no longer translate into bullets and bloodshed.

While India insists on asserting its sovereignty and Pakistan continues to deny its involvement in cross-border terrorism, the imperative of peace cannot be more urgent. Unless there are credible attempts at talk and solution, the cost in human lives will keep mounting. For the regional stability and on behalf of the numerous innocent lives entangled in this senseless crossfire, diplomacy has to override confrontation and humanity override enmity.

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