Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 14: After a lull of over four months, the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan army again violated ceasefire in Shahpur sector of Poonch district by resorting to shelling mortars and using heavy fire arms, targeting forward posts of the troops and civilian locations in wee hours of this morning.
Official sources said Pakistan army resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling around 2.30 am today directly targeting civilian houses, taking the sleeping people unawares on the LoC. Troops from this side retaliated effectively.
A woman identified as Qasim Jan wife of Mir Hussain, a resident of Qasba, Poonch was hit by a mortar shell fired by Pakistan, in her house, and was seriously injured. She was evacuated from the house and admitted in the hospital
Many other civilians had narrow escape in the firing, sources said.
Troops retaliated and exchange of firing continued for over an hour, they added.
According to sources, Pakistan army used heavy mortar, small arm and automatic weapon fire in Poonch sector for an hour triggering panic among the civilians.
“Our troops responded appropriately and no casualties or damage to our troops was reported. A woman was, however, injured,’’ sources said.
Today’s ceasefire violation comes after over four months as the last such incident took place on April 10, this year in Poonch sector.
Earlier, Pakistan had violated ceasefire on September 18, 2015 in Balakote sector of Poonch district.
Last year, 16 civilians were killed and 71 others injured in 405 incidents of cross-border firing by Pakistan, the officer said.
While 253 incidents of ceasefire violations took place along the International Border (IB), 152 incidents were reported along the LoC, he said.
Around 8,000 people were temporarily affected due to the ceasefire violations and had to be shifted to safer locations.
Sources said in view of ceasefire violations by Pakistan targeting civilian installations, the troops didn’t exchange sweets and greetings with Pakistan army along the LoC at Chakan-Da-Bagh (CDB) cross-LoC point and other places.
“There was no exchange of sweets on the LoC between Armies of India and Pakistan,’’ sources said, adding the reason was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army on the LoC on the eve of their Independence Day. Surprisingly, Pakistan army broke nearly four month long lull on the LoC by resorting to ceasefire violation on their Independence Day.
However, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Rangers exchanged sweets at Octroi Post along the International Border (IB) in RS Pura sector this morning.
The BSF officials and Rangers were together at Octroi Post for half an hour during which they exchanged sweets and greeting before dispersing.
The BSF officers and Rangers also exchanged sweets at some other place on the IB including Samba and Arnia sectors.
Sources said the BSF and Rangers haven’t exchange firing on the IB for past quite some time now as there was no ceasefire violation from Pakistan side.
“In view of this, BSF and Pakistan Rangers exchanged sweets and greeting along the International Border on the occasion of Pakistan’s Independence Day,’’ sources said.
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