The military and political leadership in Pakistan is growing ‘jittery’ with every passing hour, after India sent out a ‘strong and stern’ message by giving a free hand to its armed forces to respond to the Pahalgam massacre.
This was evident on Tuesday. Barely hours after the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan spoke to each other to discuss the ‘unprovoked’ ceasefire violations by Pakistan since April 22, Pakistani troops once again resorted to cross-border firing along the International Border, for the first time in the last week, in the Pargwal sector of Jammu late Tuesday night.
Amid mounting tensions, India utilised the opportunity to warn Pakistan against the ‘unprovoked’ violations, but on the ground zero, the Pakistani troops breached the ceasefire agreement with impunity. The forward villages across the Jammu frontier have been kept in a state of high alert as villagers have started making alternate arrangements to ensure their safety and security. At some places, the villagers have cleaned the community bunkers to utilise them during emergencies. The farmers have been rushing through the peak harvest season to prevent losses.
The Pak Army also traded fire at multiple locations along LoC on Tuesday, marking the sixth consecutive day of cross-border firing by Pakistani forces.
Following the firing in the Pargwal sector along the International Border, additional BSF personnel were deployed as Indian troops responded swiftly and in a calibrated manner to the Pakistani firing.
Along the LoC, the latest round of firing took place across the Nowshera and Sunderbani sectors in Rajouri district, as well as the Akhnoor sector in Jammu, and in Baramulla and Kupwara districts. Since April 22, the alert army troops have been maintaining a tight vigil and have enhanced patrolling to ensure security along the border.
So far, the Pakistan army has been resorting to the use of small arms firing along the LoC. The artillery guns have not been utilised despite mounting tensions in the area.
Meanwhile, anti-terror operations are underway in the hinterlands of Anantnag, Pulwama, and Shopian, with security forces positioned on top of the mountains, clearing areas one by one and moving closer.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF have been tasked with conducting house-to-house searches, including those of OGWs, and gathering more details about their connections.
Since the Pahalgam attack, cross-border firings by Pakistan have grown increasingly frequent, following a systematic pattern of provocation. On Monday night, multiple such incidents were reported from the Kupwara and Baramulla districts, as well as the Akhnoor sector.