Despite suffering heavy losses in strong retaliatory firing from the Indian side, Pakistan is bent upon escalating tensions along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir.
Since August 15, there has been no let up from the Pakistani side especially in frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
So far, four Indian jawans have made supreme sacrifices while one civilian was killed in Pakistan firing.
On Saturday, Pakistan Army targeted forward areas of Balakote and Mendhar in Poonch sector for over four hours.
Defence PRO in Jammu, Lt Col Devender Anand said, “Pakistan army initiated ceasefire violation in Mendhar sector around 9.30 a.m on Saturday”. He said, “Pak Army fired mortar shells targeting civilian areas”. “Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively”, he added. The firing in the area continued for over four hours and stopped around 1.30 p.m.
According to ground reports, “large number of school children remained stranded inside their class rooms in Manjakote area” while heavy shelling was going on in the area.
“Several forward villages including Sandote and Nanjot bore maximum brunt of heavy mortar shelling in the area”,official sources said.
According to official sources, “at least four civilian houses, 2 vehicles,1 cattle shed and four shops were damaged in the Pakistan firing along with several livestock. Panic stricken residents took shelter at safer places while local police officers along with jawans of the Indian army rushed to the school buildings to safely escort school children to safer places.
Deputy Commissioner, Poonch Rahul Yadav told The Pioneer, “firing from the Pakistan side started around 9.30 a.m on Saturday while children were attending their classes in local schools in the forward villages. He said, rescue teams could not be rushed amid heavy firing from the Pakistani side. During brief lull, police jawans along with local army men escorted these children to safety, he added.
The district authorities in both the sensitive districts are keeping a close watch on the ground situation to prevent any loss of human lives in intense exchange of firing.
So far, border residents are staying back in their houses in forward areas amid palpable tension in air.
Last week, Pakistan army had also attempted to target forward Indian posts by pushing ‘human bombs’ inside the Indian territory.
According to recent intelligence reports, “large number of heavily armed terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e- Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfits were assembled across launching pads close to the line of control with the sole purpose of launching ‘daring’ attacks on the Indian forces”.
According to these reports, “over 200 terrorists were camping across these launching pads inside the Pakistani territory to carry out BAT strikes inside the Indian territory”.
These terrorists have been trained by the elite commandos of the Pakistani army in guerrilla warfare.
FACTOID
On August 17, Lance Naik Sandeep Thapa attained martyrdom in Nowshera sector
On August 20, Naik Ravi Ranjan Kumar Singh made supreme sacrifice in Mendhar sector
On August 23, Naik Rajib Thappa attained martyrdom in Nowshera sector
On September 2, Hemraj Jat attained martyrdom in Poonch sector