Pak violates ceasefire again amid stepped up infiltration bids

Pakistani troops resorted to "unprovoked firing" at Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, the military said Saturday.

Jammu: Pakistani troops again violated ceasefire along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district by targeting Indian posts, the eighth incident in the last three weeks. "Pakistani troops resorted again to firing from automatic and small arms on Indian posts along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district from 1935 hours yesterday," a defence spokesperson said here today.

Troops guarding the borderline retaliated resulting in intermittent exchanges of fire, he said, adding, "firing exchanges continued for a brief period till 1940 hours". There was no casualty or damage on this side of the LoC due to the firing, the spokesperson said. This is the eight incident of ceasefire violation in the past over three weeks. On April 13, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district`s KG sector. On May 11, there was a ceasefire violation in Krishna Ghati sector of the same district by targeting Indian posts. On May 10, Pakistani troops resorted to firing from small arms on Indian posts along the LoC in Nangi Tekri area of Poonch district from 2230 hours. Five days prior to that, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire and resorted to firing from automatic weapons on Indian posts along the LoC in Bhimber Gali area of Rajouri district from 2330 hours during the night. On May 3, Pakistani troops resorted to firing from small arms and automatic weapons on Indian posts along the LoC in Mendhar in Poonch district without causing loss of life or injury. On April 28, Pakistani troops resorted to firing from small arms and automatic weapons on Indian posts along the LoC in Bhimber Gali in Rajouri district. Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire on April 25 by firing with small arms and mortars on Indian posts in Doda battalion areas along the LoC in Poonch district. Army officials said that the ceasefire violations and firing by Pakistan were aimed to help militants infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir from across the border from the "launching pads" along LoC where they are waiting to crossover. There are also inputs that bids to engineer attacks by Pakistan`s "Border Action Team` (BAT) on forward posts and patrolling parties are being planned from across the border, they said. In 2013, 12 jawans were killed and 41 injured in the highest number of ceasefire violations (149) and firing by Pakistan troops on forwards post, civilian areas and patrolling parties along Indo-Pak border. There has been two infiltration bids along LoC in Poonch district in last one week. On May 10, two militants were killed when Army troops foiled an infiltration bid along Line of Control (LoC) in Kalsia belt of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir in which one jawan suffered injuries. Troops foiled another infiltration bid along LoC on May 3 in Sawjian belt of Poonch district.