Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 12: After a day’s lull, Pakistan Army tonight resumed heavy firing on eight pickets in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district creating fresh tension as Army observed movement of six to seven persons trying to head towards Indian territory at 9.25 pm.
Army spokesman Col RK Palta said troops from their forward posts observed movement of 6 to 7 infiltrators heading towards Indian territory in Krishna Ghati sector at 9.25 pm. The troops opened firing to neutralize the infiltrators.
Exchange of firing lasted 40 minutes, Col Palta said adding the high intensity of firing came down after an hour.
He said there were no reports of casualties or damage on the Indian side.
Official sources couldn’t say as to whether the infiltrators were militants or Pakistan Army personnel, who were trying to enter again towards the Indian territory. However, after firing by the Indian troops, movement of the infiltrators was not observed, they said.
Sources said heavy firing was reported at eight posts of Krishna Ghati sector. Yesterday, there was no firing in Krishna Ghati sector but Pakistani troops had fired at some posts of Mendhar and Balnoi.
Troops were maintaining a very high alert all along the LoC.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has so far not responded to Indian Army’s offer for a Brigade Commander level flag meeting to de-escalate tensions on the LoC especially in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district where two Indian Army jawans were killed on Tuesday morning by Pakistani troops.
Retaliatory firing by the Indian troops on Thursday had led to the killing of one Pakistan Army jawan.
The Indian Army had yesterday offered Brigade Commander level flag meeting to Pakistan on the hotline to discuss the issues arising out of the firing and restore normalcy along the LoC.
Sources confirmed that Pakistan Army hasn’t responded to its offer of flag meeting so far.
“We are awaiting the Pakistan response but they haven’t responded so far. We are hopeful of a Brigade Commander level flag meeting taking place between the two sides shortly”, sources said.
It may be mentioned here that tensions had escalated between Indo-Pak troops in Krishna Ghati sector in June last year after the killing of a jawan on this side of the LoC leading to regular exchange of firing between the two sides.
The tensions had subsided only after the Brigade Commander level flag meeting, sources recalled.
Meanwhile, some local people said they planned to march toward the Army pickets in forward areas of Mendhar to boost morale of the jawans and hold anti-Pakistan protests against the killing of two Indian soldiers.
The march was planned for tomorrow, sources said, adding that they fully stand by the Army in any situation and were ready to even fight against the Pakistani troops.
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