After a gap of two days, Pakistani troops once again violated ceasefire agreement with India by targeting the forward Indian posts in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor in Jammu late Monday evening.
The previous ceasefire violation was reported by the Indian Army in Mendhar sector of Poonch late Friday evening. A sniping incident was also reported on Sunday at Maljodha border post of BSF in Akhnoor area. The jawans deployed on the post, however, escaped unhurt in the attack by Pakistani snipers.
According to reports, firing from the Pakistani side of the line of Control started around 5.20 pm in Gigriyal area of Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor late Monday and the same was going on intermittently till the time of filing the report”.
Officiating Defence PRO in Jammu SN Acharya said, “Pakistani troops fired with small arms and medium machine guns in Gigriyal and laukikhan forward areas. Indian troops gave a ‘calibrated response’, resulting in heavy exchanges.” There was no report of loss of life or injury, he added. Since August 6, 2013 more than 50 ceasefire violations have been reported in the Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu division.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah sent a strong message to Pakistan to stop ceasefire violations and ensure that its territory could not be used by terrorists to create tragedies for India.
Abdullah was interacting with mediapersons on the sidelines of a function on the Jammu University campus.Advocating the need for dialogue with Pakistan, Abdullah said, “No problem between India and Pakistan can be solved without dialogue”. “Dialogue is essential but before holding parleys with India Pakistan must try and control ‘jehadi’ forces working from their territory and unless that is done the move forward on the dialogue front is very difficult.