Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 9: Pakistan army today again pounded civilian areas at various places on the Line of Control (LoC) with mortars and heavy fire arms causing injuries to two persons including a civilian and a security personnel at Mankote, Mendhar, Balnoi and Shahpur sub sectors of Poonch district.
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Reports said Pakistan started heavy mortar shelling and firing at 10.30 am at forward villages including Sonawali Gali, Balnoi, Nangi Tekri, Dabraj and surrounding villages of Mankote, Mendhar and Shahpur sectors of Poonch district.
The Indian side retaliated effectively to silence the Pakistani guns and save civilian population. The Pakistani troops also tried to target some forward posts of the Army with mortars and heavy fire arms but failed.
Heavy exchange of shelling and firing continued till 1.35 pm in which Pakistan side was reported to have suffered heavy losses but the details were not available immediately.
A 22 year old youth Mohammad Yunus son of Abdul Hamid R/o Balnoi sustained splinter injuries in mortar shelling and was evacuated to the hospital, where his condition was stated to be stable. A security personnel also sustained minor injuries in firing, reports said, adding that several mortar shells fells in the civilian areas.
The people remained confined to houses and bunkers in forward villages of Mankote, Mendhar, Balnoi and Shahpur due to heavy mortar shelling by Pakistani troops targeting villages.
However, after Indian troops resorted to heavy retaliation, Pakistan army stopped shelling.
Two Army porters were injured in Pakistani firing, which lasted for 10 minutes, on September 7.
Earlier, on September 1, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Kamaljit Singh of the Border Security Force (BSF) sustained bullet injuries due to enemy fire from across the LoC at a forward post in Krishna Ghati Sector and was martyred.
On September 4, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice by firing at forward posts along the LoC in Degwar and Maldalyan areas in Poonch and along the International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu.
On September 3, Pakistan army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch along the LoC.
Before that, on August 30, Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling in the Nowshera sector, targeting forward posts and civilian areas.
On August 27, five civilians, including a woman and two minor boys, were injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in the Shahpur belt of Poonch district.
A day before, on August 26, BSF troops had retaliated against violations and killed three Pak rangers. On August 25, a BSF Jawan was injured in sniper fire by Pak rangers along the International Border in Jammu.
On August 23, senior Army Commanders of India and Pakistan held a flag meeting on the LoC in Poonch sector and agreed to institute mechanisms for durable peace and tranquility.
The two sides agreed to keep channels of communication open between local commanders at the LoC.
The year 2017 has seen a sharp increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces.
Till August 1, there were 285 such violations by the Pakistan army, while in 2016 the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to the Army figures.
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