STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: Pakistani troops on Monday resorted to shelling and firing on Indian posts in four sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, in which two persons including a jawan were injured while army foiled infiltration bid in Naugam Sector by killing a terrorist on Monday.
“There have been unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistani Army in Sunderbani and Naushera sectors of Rajouri district and Pallanwala sector of Jammu district,” a defence spokesman said.
Pakistani troops used 82mm mortar bombs and automatic weapons on Indian positions from 1440 hours in these sectors, he said.
A 67-year-old resident, Mangat Ram, was injured in Pakistani shelling in Khour area in Pallanwala sector, Jammu Deputy Commissioner Simrandeep Singh said.
Pakistani troops also resorted firing along LoC in Khadi area of Poonch district, according to reports. One jawan was injured in the firing in Poonch.
The defence spokesman said the Indian troops gave “befitting reply” to Pakistani firing.
The violations of the ceasefire came after a lull of a few days on the border.
On November 12, an army jawan was killed in Pakistani firing in Keran sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
On November 10, another jawan, Satnam Singh, was killed in sniper shots from across the LoC in Machail sector of North Kashmir. On November 8, two army jawans were killed in firing and shelling along LoC in Naushera sector of Rajouri district.
On November 6, two army jawans were killed and five others — two soldiers, a BSF officer and two women — were injured as Pakistani army opened fire in an attempt to facilitate two infiltration bids along the LoC in Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors of Poonch district.
The worst-ever Pakistani shelling targeting civil population took place on November 1 when eight persons, including two children and four women, were killed and 22 others injured along the IB and the LoC in five sectors of J&K, forcing Indian troops to give befitting reply by destroying 14 Pakistani posts and killing two of their troopers.
The 2003 India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement has virtually become redundant with a whopping 286 incidents of firing and shelling along LoC and IB in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani troops that resulted in death of 26 people, including 14 security personnel, since the surgical strike on terrorist launch pads in PoK.
Meanwhile, one militant was killed as army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector in Kashmir on Monday.
“An infiltration bid was foiled along the LoC in Naugam sector,” an army official said.
He said one terrorist was killed in the anti-infiltration operation and one weapon was recovered from the slain ultra.
Pak fumes over killing of 7 troops
Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday claimed seven of its soldiers were killed in “unprovoked” firing by Indian troops across the LoC, prompting it to summon the Indian envoy here to warn that India’s “belligerent” attitude may lead to a “strategic miscalculation”.
Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed at the LoC in the Bhimber sector in an alleged ceasefire violation by Indian troops late last night, according to a statement by the army.
Pakistani troops responded to “unprovoked” Indian firing and targeted Indian posts “effectively”, it said.
Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale this afternoon and condemned the “unprovoked ceasefire” violation by the Indian forces on the Line of Control (LoC).
The Foreign Secretary deplored the increasing Indian ceasefire violations at the LoC and the Working Boundary, especially in the last two months, a statement said.
He emphasised that this “belligerent attitude” of Indian forces was a “serious threat to the regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation”, the statement added.
The Foreign Secretary asked the Indian High Commissioner to convey to his government that it must stop the provocative firing and observe the ceasefire.
Pakistan is pursuing a policy of restraint, which should not be construed as a sign of weakness, the statement quoted him as saying.
He underlined that the Armed Forces of Pakistan do not initiate fire, but will always respond in a befitting manner, if fired upon, the statement said.
It is for the second time in a week that Pakistan has summoned Indian High Commissioner.
Pakistan on November 10 summoned Bambawale to the Foreign Office to protest over alleged ceasefire violations and use of artillery by the Indian forces.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asserted that his country is “fully capable” of defending its territory against “any aggression”.
Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives in the “latest violation of Line of Control (LoC) by the Indian forces” and said “it is extremely unfortunate that Indian forces have continuously violated ceasefire agreement at the LoC in the recent days”, Press Information Department Pakistan said.
“We are fully capable of defending our soil against any aggression,” it quoted Sharif as saying.
The Prime Minister also claimed that the Indian forces have resorted to escalating tension on the LoC only to “uselessly divert” the world’s attention from the “grave human rights situation” in Kashmir.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif ordered troops to “effectively” respond to firing by India.
Families shifted to safer places
JAMMU: Following fresh round of intense shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pallanwala and Sunderbani sectors over 5000 villagers from forward areas shifted to safer places amid firing on late Monday evening.
According to ground reports, “Soon after Pak army started targeting forward civilian areas in Pallanwala, border migrants ran for cover to save their lives”. As shelling became intense several families decided to shift women and children to safer locations.
Firing was reported in the Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor in the evening.
According to local villagers Pak army fired 82 mm and 120 mm mortars and also used automatics and other sophisticated weapons to target the civilian areas.
The firing continued for several hours till 11.00 PM.
The border migrants shifted to religious centres and Government school buildings in the area.
Deputy Commissioner Jammu Simrandeep Singh had earlier announced the decision to shut down the schools in the areas where fresh shelling was reported.
