Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 23: Calm prevailed along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) today with no fresh ceasefire violation by Pakistan reported since yesterday.
The lull in firing came as a relief for border residents who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety.
Twelve persons, including five security personnel and seven civilians, have been killed and over 70 others injured in intense shelling by Pakistan along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts and LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts during past about one week.
“There was no ceasefire violation reported from anywhere along the IB and the LoC since yesterday,” sources said.
The situation along the borders was peaceful but tense, they said.
However, educational institutions within five kilometers of IB and parts of LoC remained closed. In Rajouri, 84 schools within shelling range will remain closed till January 28.
The ceasefire violations by Pakistan started on January 18 and continued unabated all along the 449 km stretch from Kathua to Poonch-Rajouri till 5.45 am yesterday.
Thousands of border dwellers have migrated from their homes and were camping either in the houses of their relatives and friends or relief centres set up by the Government at various places.
Officials said security forces are maintaining a close vigil and patrolling has been intensified all along the border to scuttle any infiltration attempt by terrorists to disrupt Republic Day celebrations.
At some places on the International Border, few people visited their houses during the day to feed cattle. However, majority of them again returned to safer locations in the evening as they were apprehensive of fresh shelling by Pakistan on the eve of Republic Day celebrations.
Meanwhile, Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today announced that remedial classes would be arranged for the students of the schools closed in Jammu region due to cross-border shelling.
“Once the situation along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) normalises, we would arrange remedial classes for the affected students,” Minister for Education announced in the Legislative Assembly during his reply to the discussion on Demand for Grants of the education Department.
Earlier, several legislators from Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Poonch and Rajouri, raised the issue in the House and expressed grave concern over the loss of precious academic time of the students due to continued border shelling.
The legislators said that around 300 schools remained closed along the LoC and IB since January 18 this year due to recurrent cross-border shelling. They demanded setting up of special coaching centres for the affected students.
“As far as the closure of schools along the border is concerned, I assure them that we will run remedial classes for the affected students once the situation normalises so that the education of our children does not suffer,” Bukhari said.
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