Ceasefire violations by Pakistan: As it happened on Thursday

On campaign trail, Modi hits back at rivals over Pak aggression`

• UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan along the LoC and asked the two nations to resolve all differences through dialogue and engage constructively for a long-term solution for peace and stability in Kashmir. The Secretary-General is "concerned about the recent escalation of violence along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, PTI reported. He deplores the loss of lives and the displacement of civilians on both sides," a statement issued by Ban's spokesman said.
• Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah asserted that the only way for Pakistan to normalise the border situation is to silence its guns even as he took a dig at Islamabad for approaching UNMOG saying complaining to "toothless" body will serve no purpose."Pakistan is deliberately targeting civilian areas that is evident from the number of the casualties that has occurred on this side," he told reporters.

• PM Modi says that Indian soldiers at the border are giving befitting reply to the Pakistan forces.
• Disillusioned political parties are doing politics and indulging in rhetoric over Pakistan. They want that I should do that too, says PM Modi in Mumbai.

• Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan Defence Minister told a news agency that Pakistan was fully capable to responding to any Indian aggression. He also said that they did not want to convert border tension between two nuclear neighbors into confrontation and that India should act in a responsible manner.
• Meanwhile, protests took place outside Pakistan High Commission over ceasefire violation.
• J&K CM Omar Abdullah visits relief camps which are setup for victims of ceasefire violation and said that the reservation benefits for people living at LoC should also be extended to people living at International Border. He also said that they had decided to establish camps for animals also with facilities of fodder, water and veterinary doctors.
• Amid increasing ceasefire violations from across the Line of Control on the Jammu side, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen Subrata Saha told a news agency said the situation was "stable" on this side but the Army's response would be "firm and focused" whenever there are any such attempts. "On the Kashmir side, we had two ceasefire violations. One on September 30 and October 1 night and the second time was on the October 3 and 4. After that the situation has been stable," Saha told a news agency.
• Taking on his rivals, the PM said issues like ceasefire violations should not be a matter of debate for political gains.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Baramati, said the Indian troops have responded to ceasefire violations with courage. 

• Hitting out at Congress for taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the BJP termed criticism by the opposition party as "unfortunate", saying the sensitive issue should not be "politicised".
• As per the report, the firing from Pakistan started within two hours of India winning Asian Games Hockey Gold.
• In the report, the BSF has suggested that shelling from across the border intensified after Pakistan lost to India in the Asian Games Hockey final on October 2.
• The Border Security Force has submitted a report to the Union Home Ministry on the recent ceasefire violations along the International Border.

• Top American Senator, Timothy M Kaine, expressed serious concern over ceasefire violations along the border between India and Pakistan and suggested that UN could be a "helpful participant" to resolve the current crisis.

• CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters: "...The ground needs to be broken and peace must prevail (along the Line of Control and International border in Jammu and Kashmir). That is upto the government. We have been telling the Centre that the time for talking is over and we have to walk the talk now."

• Calling the PM a "control freak", Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said, "When we have such a serious issue at our borders, we should not have an absentee Prime Minister."
• Congress has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "absence" in Delhi and his engagement in state election campaigns at a time when unabated ceasefire violations continued from across the border.
• After holding talks with Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami, Director General of the Border Security Force DK Pathak told reporters that firing from Pakistan side continued last night, but there were no casualties.
• 80-year-old Parkasho Devi has witnessed every conflict between India and Pakistan along the International Border but feels that latest onslaught from the neighbouring country has been unprecedented as even at the peak of hostilities civilian areas were not targeted as they were being now.

• Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu says he is afraid whether there is a conspiracy hatched in Pakistan to divert people's attention from development initiatives taken by the Indian government.
• The Indian government is replying to Pakistan in the language it understands: BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain
• If Pakistan persists with this adventurism, our forces will make cost of this adventurism unaffordable for it: Jaitley

• Pakistan uses firing as a cover to let militants infiltrate into Indian territory: Defence Minister
• India's paramount duty is to defend its people and territory, says Jaitley.
• India is a responsible nation and never initiates an attack, unlike Pakistan: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. 
• Ceasefire violations are an effort by Pakistan to precipitate tensions where none exist, says Jaitley.
• Pakistan has to stop this unprovoked firing and shelling… as long as it continues how can there be peace, says Jaitley.
• Defence Minister Arun Jaitley talks to media personnel, says we will not tolerate cross-border firing. The Army is giving befitting reply to Pakistan firing, adds Jaitley.

• The PM is monitoring border situation very closely. I assure you that we won't let the nation down: Home Minister Rajnath Singh
• We are very satisfied with the response BSF is giving to Pakistan's ceasefire violation: Home Minister
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not need to reply to the events that are taking place on the International Border and LoC, Army is doing that: Home Minister Rajnath Singh 
• Intermittent firing exchanges between the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers are still going on at some places on the border.

• Seven civilians have been killed so far in the targeted firing from the Pakistani side in civilian areas close to the border since October 06.
• All the injured have been shifted to government medical college (GMC) hospital in Jammu city.
• A senior police officer told a news agency that the Pakistan Rangers continued mortar shelling and automatic weapons firing in Akhnoor, Ramgarh, Arnia and Kanachak sectors along the international border during the night.
• The Pakistan Rangers target 60 border outposts (BOPs) and over 80 villages in fresh mortar shelling and firing in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts along International Border, leaving three people injured.
• Over 20,000 people from the border villages have abandoned their homes to avoid being targeted by Pakistani shelling of civilian habitations in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.