Pakistan Army fires at Indian post in J&K; troops on alert

In the eighth ceasefire violation in three days, Pakistan opened fire at Indian positions from along the International Border.

Zee Media Bureau/Kamna Arora

Jammu: In the eighth ceasefire violation in three days, Pakistan on Tuesday opened fire at Indian positions along the International Border. The Pakistani Rangers opened firing from their Ashraf Post directly targeting Indian post at Narayanpur in Ramgarh sector in the Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, at around 7:30 am. Firing stopped after 15 minutes. "There was firing by Pakistani Rangers on Narayanpur`s Border Out Post (BoP) in Ramgarh forward area in Samba district around 0730 hours", a BSF officer said. BSF troops guarding the border line retaliated effectively, resulting in exchanges, he said. There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing from Pakistan, the officer said. Troops have been put on alert, he added. The tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad have heightened in the wake of a number of ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops from across the border and Line of Control. On Sunday, Pakistan Rangers fired at a Border Security Force (BSF) post at Kanachak in Jammu district, injuring a BSF trooper. Pakistan also violated the bilateral ceasefire when it fired at Indian positions at Balakot area in Poonch district. On Sunday night, at around 9:20 pm, Pakistan again fired at Indian post in Mendhar Sector. The Indian troops had retaliated, leading to heavy exchanges between the two sides. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that violations of ceasefire along the LoC by Pakistan are aimed at forcing India to respond. He said these violations are intended to either facilitate infiltration or distract attention from internal failures of Pakistan. Giving the Indian Army a free hand, Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday had said that the Indian armed forces are "free to respond to the developing conditions at the border appropriately". Pakistan had yesterday called upon India to "uphold the ceasefire over the LoC" and reiterated its commitment to the November 2003 ceasefire "which should be respected in letter and spirit". In view of the escalation in the border tension due to firing and ceasefire violations, BSF director general Subash Joshi had yesterday visited forward areas along the International Border in Jammu and reviewed the security situation there.