Will give befitting reply to Pakistan: Rajnath Singh on ceasefire violations in J&K

Jammu: Pakistan troops targeted 12 Indian posts late Wednesday night along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir hours after one Indian jawan and four Pakistani soldiers were killed in the cross-border firing.

As per reports, a civilian was also injured in mortar shelling by Pakistani troops through the night in Samba district, 41 km from Jammu. This was the third ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops in two days.

Pakistan yesterday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh in Islamabad to register protest after four of its rangers were killed in retaliatory firing by the Border Security Force (BSF).

However, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today denied the reports.

“There was no communication between our diplomats and the Pakistani establishment. Sooner or later they will fall in line,” Singh told ANI. He added that a befitting reply will be given to Pakistan if it continues to violate the ceasefire along the LoC.

Humaare diplomats ki Pak se baat hoti hai, aaj nahi to kal to raaste pe aaenge: Rajnath Singh on ceasefire violation pic.twitter.com/c94sVkeGvy — ANI (@ANI_news) January 1, 2015

The Home Minister was earlier briefed by the Director General, Border Security Force (BSF) DK Pathak about the latest ceasefire violation by the Pakistan. Meanwhile, Rakesh Sharma, IG BSF Jammu frontier today said, “We will launch a strong protest, Pakistan has broken rules of the International border.”

“We have never fired, have always retaliated to the firing by Pakistan,” he added.

Pakistani Rangers had earlier targeted a BSF patrol party along the International Border in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing a jawan and injuring another. The Indian side stopped firing when the Pakistan Rangers raised a white flag, asking for time to remove the bodies.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, after being briefed about the death of Constable Ram Gowria, had asked the forces to give a "suitable and appropriate reply for any such unprovoked firing," an official statement said.

Pakistan said it had summoned the Indian envoy to protest against the "Shahadat (martyrdom) of two personnel of Pakistani Rangers". On Tuesday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said the Indian army would retaliate with "double the force" to any ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

Cross-border violence has, in recent months, been the worst in over a decade. As per a government report, fourteen civilians and five security personnel were killed in 555 ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces this year in Jammu and Kashmir.

The largest number of 405 violations took place along the international border that is under the operational control of the Border Security Force (BSF), Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier told Parliament.

Of these, 344 violations were reported from the Jammu sector and 61 from the Indreshwar-Nagar sector, the minister said in the Rajya Sabha. The 405 violations along the international border were a steep rise from the 148 ceasefire breaches in 2013 and just 11 and 21 in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

Similar violations this year along the Line of Control (LoC) and the section of the international border controlled by the army stood at 150, the minister said. This was a slight drop from the 199 violations of 2013. The figures were 51 in 2011 and 93 in 2012. The minister said 14 civilians and five security personnel were killed in the Pakistani firing this year till Nov 30. There were no deaths of civilians in 2011 and 2013 while four civilians died in 2012.

The number of security personnel killed on the border in cross-border firing and other tactical incidents was five in 2011 and 2012 each and 12 in 2013, Parrikar said.

India summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit earlier this week to protest against the possibility of 26/11 mastermind Zakiur-Rahman Lakhvi walking free.

Lakhvi, who was arrested in 2009 for orchestrating the Mumbai attacks, was granted bail by a Pakistani court on December 18, drawing strong condemnation from New Delhi. Pakistan this week arrested him in another case, ensuring that he remains in jail for now. Pakistan had said it will appeal against his bail in the Supreme Court.

In another development, Lt General Subrata Saha yesterday warned that at least 150-170 militants trained in Pakistan are waiting to cross into the Indian side of the border. Lt Gen Saha said that heavy snowfall and inclement weather in the region is further aiding these militants to slip into the Indian side.