PAKISTAN today (October 28) accused India of killing three civilians and wounding five others in cross-border fire, as tensions soar in Kashmir.
The incident occurred in Nakyal sector, near the frontier dividing Indian Kashmir from Pakistan’s Punjab province, Pakistani officials said.
“At least three people including a women and a girl were killed and five others injured when Indian troops opened fire across the border near Nakyal sector on the Line of Control, the de facto border between India and Pakistan,” district administration official Adnan Khursheed said.
He said the wounded were taken to a hospital in Kotli. Zeeshan Nisar, an administration official in Nakyal confirmed the incident, adding that a seven-year-old girl was among the dead.
The latest violence comes after New Delhi announced yesterday (October 27) that it was expelling a Pakistani visa official for suspected spying, with Islamabad responding by saying it would send back an Indian diplomat in an apparent tit-for-tat move.
Relations between the two countries have plummeted in recent months, with India blaming Pakistani militants for a raid on an army base in its part of Kashmir in September that killed 19 soldiers.
India said it responded by carrying out strikes across the heavily-militarised border, although Islamabad denies these took place.
Tensions were already high before the attack, with deadly violence over the death on July 8 of a popular militant leader.
Nearly 90 people, most of them young protesters, have been killed in clashes with security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir since then.
Met Office issues yellow weather warnings for wind and rain on Thursday
Low-pressure system could become a named storm, possibly ‘Storm Bram’ or ‘Storm Benjamin’
Forecasters warn of flooding, travel disruption, and potential power cuts
Warnings in place for Thursday
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for wind and rain across large parts of southern and eastern England, as a deepening area of low pressure moves across the UK on Thursday.
Forecasters say the system could bring heavy rainfall and gusts strong enough to cause localised flooding and travel disruption. While the impacts are not expected to be severe enough for the Met Office to name it a storm, other European weather agencies may decide otherwise.
Heavy rain and powerful gusts expected
Rain will begin spreading into southern England late on Wednesday before moving northeast through Thursday. Rainfall totals are expected to reach 20–30mm widely, with some areas, including Devon, Cornwall, and eastern England, seeing 30–50mm or more.
Strong north-westerly winds are forecast to develop, with gusts between 45–55mph (70–90km/h) possible in many areas, and up to 65mph (105km/h) along parts of the east coast.
The Met Office has warned that isolated gusts could briefly reach 75mph (120km/h) later on Thursday, posing a risk of fallen trees, power outages, and further travel delays.
Potential for a named storm
Although the Met Office does not currently expect to name the weather system, neighbouring meteorological agencies could.
If the impacts are greater in northern France or Belgium, Météo France or Belgium’s Royal Meteorological Institute could designate it as Storm Benjamin, the next on the south-western Europe list.
Alternatively, if the Netherlands determines the system poses greater risks there, it could be named Storm Bram, drawn from the shared naming list used by the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
Meteorological agencies across Europe will coordinate before confirming any name to maintain consistency across forecasts.
Public advised to stay alert
With uncertainty still surrounding the intensity of the low-pressure system, forecasters are urging the public to monitor updates closely and plan for possible travel disruption or power interruptions.
Up-to-date warnings and forecasts are available through the Met Office and BBC Weather channels.
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