Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 9: Pakistan troops targeted several Indian posts by opening small arms firing along the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district last night violating ceasefire. The firing might have been aimed at facilitating infiltration by militants but, Army sources said, no movement of ultras was spotted during the firing.
Pakistan troops fired on several Indian posts along the Indo-Pak border in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district late last night. This was second incident of ceasefire violation during last three days in Poonch sector by the Pakistan Army.
“We exercised restraint and retaliated in calibrated manner’’, sources said.
Initially, the small arms firing was resorted to by Pakistan troops from their posts like Daku, Shiv, Battal and Chuha on Indian posts of Kripan, Kranti and Kranti 1 in Nangi Tekri area along the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district from 10 am to 11 am.
Firing took place later again from 12.05 am to 12.40 am.
There was no loss of life or damage to property in the firing on Indian side, sources said.
This is fourth ceasefire violation in past four days.
Though Pakistan firing generally takes place to facilitate intrusion bids by the militants, this time, sources said, the infiltrators were not spotted on Pakistan side during the firing.
Pakistan security personnel had on the night of August 6 targeted BSF’s Border Out Post (BOP) of Pansar along the International Border (IB) in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district resulting in injuries to two BSF jawans.
On August 6, Pakistan troops had opened indiscriminate firing on the forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Shahpur Kerni forward belt of Poonch sector and it continued intermittently for a few hours as Army troops also replied.
On August 5, Pakistan Rangers fired on Indian BOPs in Kote Kuba area along IB in R S Pura sector in Jammu district.
On August 7, India lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.
The firings and ceasefire violations by Pakistan comes close on the heels of detection of a 400-meter long tunnel built by them in Samba sector on July 28 and subsequent lodging of a strong protest over the issue on July 31.
A similar situation had developed in Jammu and Kashmir in the month of June this year in Poonch sector along the LoC when Pakistan violated the ceasefire five times by opening heavy and small arms firing and rocket attacks on Indian posts in Poonch sector in which two jawans were killed and four others injured.
There were five ceasefire violations between June 11 to June 16 this year along the LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
A Brigade Commanders’ flag meeting was held on June 23, 2012 at Chakan-Da-Bagh LoC point in Poonch sector to bring to halt the firing.
Nearly 19 ceasefire violations have taken place this year, 51 in 2011, 44 in 2010 and 28 in 2009.
“All activities across LoC are continuously monitored. Measures like strengthening of defence, deployment and redeployment of troops, infrastructure development and military modernisation are factored into our plans,” officials said.
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