A mentally ill woman has been shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel near Sialkot, after she lost her way and accidentally crossed the Working Boundary on Thursday night. Indian border authorities later handed over her body to her family in the presence of Pakistan Rangers officials. A protest erupted in the victim’s native village after, one of many protests that have taken place this last year as India has continued its unprovoked firing across the working boundary, despite warnings and befitting replies by the Pakistan Army.

This aggression is coming at the directive of political leaders who clearly have no value for human life, be it children in school buses or the mentally challenged. Do such callous murders impress those who vote for the BJP? Is the Indian BSF really so incompetent that they cannot recognise an old woman from an actual threat to Indian security?

After bringing to light this unprovoked aggression in all international forums, without any change in the situation, the government has decided to build at least 50 bunkers for civilians along the shared boundary in Punjab to provide protection during cross-border firing incidents. The government has also announced enhanced compensation for those killed and injured in cross-border firing incidents.

Three Pakistan Army soldiers were killed in Indian firing a mere week ago, in the Thoob sector of Bhimber district. On November 14 2016, seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in cross-border firing by Indian forces. The onslaught does not seem to stop, and India in its paranoia sees threats where there are none.

While it is more important to use diplomatic influence to strong arm India into stopping the LoC violations, until the top leadership in India does not roll back its jingoistic stance and call for calm, these unnecessary deaths will continue.