Pak violates ceasefire again

In the fourth ceasefire violation in the past five days, Pakistani troops fired heavily on border out posts (BoPs) and villages along the International Border in Jammu district, forcing the BSF to retaliate.

 "Pakistani Rangers resorted to heavy firing with mortar shells, small arms and automatic weapons on five BoPs and civilian areas along the IB in Arnia-R S Pura areas in Jammu district from 2145 hours late last night," a BSF officer said here today.

BSF troops guarding the borderline retaliated to the Pakistani firing which resulted in night-long exchanges.

 The firing exchanges continued till 0500 hours this morning, the officer said, adding that there was no loss of life or injury to any one in the firing. This is the fourth ceasefire violation in the past five days.

The fresh violation comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday accused Pakistan of indulging in a proxy war killing innocent people in India.

BSF and Pakistan Rangers had on Friday last 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.

However, the ceasefire violations have continued.

 On August 11, two BSF jawans were among four persons injured when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by firing with small arms, automatic weapons and mortar shells on 10 border out posts and civilian areas along the International Border in Arnia and R S Pura belts of Jammu district.

 On August 10, Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire by targeting Indian forward posts with small arms and automatic weapons along the line of Control in Mendhar sector of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting Indian forces to retaliate.

 Pakistani troops violated had violated the ceasefire on August 8 by resorting to firing on Indian Posts along loC 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.

 Security officials feel that the heavy firing and shelling in loC and IB areas in Poonch and Jammu sectors is aimed to infiltrate armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir to target Independence Day programmes.

 BSF and Army officers said that troops have been put on high alert along loC and IB in wake of the ceasefire violations, firings and infiltration bids.

 They have been tasked to give a befitting reply to ceasefire violations and cross border firing incidents.

 Police have also been put on high alert in the border districts and additional monitoring and deployment has been done on traditional infiltration routes behind the security grid of Army and BSF along loC and BSF in border districts of Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu region, they said.