Pak targets LoC posts again, 2nd ceasefire violation in 37 hrs

In a second ceasefire violation in just 37 hours, Pakistani troops fired at Indian forward posts along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting Indian forces to retaliate.

"Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts by resorting to unprovoked firing from small arms and automatic weapons in Mendhar sector in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir at 11:30 hours today," Defence Spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said.

The Indian troops guarding the border with Pakistan took positions and fired back with equal calibre weapons, resulting in intermittent exchange of fire, he said.

"There was no loss of life or damage to property in the firing on this side of LoC," Lt Col Mehta said, adding "the firing exchange continued till the time last reports came in".

Today's firing by Pakistani troops is third instance of violation of the ceasefire this month, and second after the handing over of the captured jawan to BSF by Pakistan Rangers on Octerio BoP along Indo-Pak border in Jammu district's R S Pura sector on Friday.

On August 8, barely six hours after handing over captured 30-year-old BSF jawan Satya Sheel Yadav, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by targeting Indian forward posts with small arms and automatic weapons along the Line of Control in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector of Poonch district.

On August 5, Pakistani troops targeted Indian forward posts with small arms and automatic weapons along the Line of Control in Sher Shakti forward belt of Poonch district.

At the flag meeting between Battalion Commandants of BSF and Pak rangers at Octerio BoP in R S Pura sector, BSF and Pakistan Rangers had on Friday made a commitment to uphold peace and tranquillity on the border and extend all cooperation to each other in dealing with emergent incidents in a proactive and positive manner.

General Officer Commanding of Nagrota-based 16 Corps, Lieutenant General K H Singh had recently said that the Indian Army has been directed to give a befitting reply to Pakistani troops over ceasefire violations, firing and infiltration attempts from across the border.

Eight ceasefire violations by Pakistan were witnessed in July. In June, it violated the ceasefire five times along the LoC and IB in Jammu region. There were 19 incidents of ceasefire violation along the LoC in April-May.