Pakistan violates ceasefire second time in a day

After "unprovoked firing" at Indian positions in Mendhar sector of the Line of Control (LoC) Monday evening, Pakistan troops again fired at Indian posts in the same sector in Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday morning and intermittent firing is going on, a defence spokesman said.

The defence spokesman told IANS that Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Hamirpur area of the LoC in Mendhar sector in Poonch district Tuesday morning.

"Pakistan troops started unprovoked firing at our positions in Hamirpur area of Mendhar sector today (Tuesday) morning," spokesman Col. R.K.Palta said.

"The firing started at 6.30 a.m. Tuesday. Our troops retaliated Pakistan firing with same caliber weapons. Pakistan troops used small arms, automatics and mortars to target our positions."

"Intermittent firing exchanges were going on," he said.

Pakistani troops also fired at Indian positions without any provocation in the same sector of the LoC Monday evening, Col. Palta said.

The exchanges between the two armies started at 10.25 p.m. and continued for 10 minutes.

A bilateral ceasefire was signed between India and Pakistan in November 2003, but Pakistan has been frequently violating the agreement, more than 100 times this year.