Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 14: On the eve of India’s Independence Day tomorrow, Pakistan army today heavily shelled forward Indian posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts damaging over two dozen houses and forcing people in many border villages to shift to safer places to survive mortar shelling and heavy firing.
Family of seven members of Ahmad Din son of Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Shahpur, located close to the LoC in Poonch, had miraculous escape as an 82 mm mortar shell, fired by Pakistan army, hit their house directly and damaged it completely this evening. Ahmad Din along with his family had left the house for safer areas only few hours before the Pakistani mortar shell targeted their house.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Pakistan army was heavily pounding civilian areas and Army posts with 120 mm, 82 mm and 81 mm mortar shells, Rocket Projectile Gun (RPG) shells and other heavy firearms like Pika guns at Shahpur, Kirni, Sabzian and Balakote sector in Poonch district and Bhimber Gali (BG) sector in Rajouri district, intensifying wave of panic among the villagers. Shelling at all these places was going on till midnight tonight when the reports last came in.
Today was 12th straight day of Pakistan shelling and firing, in violation of ceasefire agreement, in Poonch sector. The major targets of Pakistan shelling remained Sabzian and Shahpur.
However, according to sources, no casualties were reported on the Indian side during Pakistan shelling and firing but there were reports that Pakistan side has suffered heavy damages in retaliatory firing by the Army. Extent of the damage was not known. Pakistan has reportedly evicted its population from the forward villages.
Sources said this was for the first time today when Pakistan army continued to shell forward villages and Army posts during the day as hitherto the shelling was confined to night hours only and took place rarely during the day. The shelling continued in Balakote, Shahpur, Kirni, Sabzian and Bhimber Gali sectors last night also. There was brief lull in the morning after which the shelling resumed.
According to sources, majority of population in Sabzian and Shahpur deserted their houses with the start of heavy mortar shelling and took shelter in safer areas with some families reaching houses of their relatives and others just lying behind the mountains to survive.
Sources pointed out that nearly two dozen houses were damaged in the shelling.
The district administration has already designated Government schools and community halls to accommodate the people if they migrate to the Government buildings, sources said, adding that the migration was presently confined to safer areas and houses of the relatives.
Deputy Commissioner, Poonch Nissar Ahmad Wani told the Excelsior that there had been no migration so far from the forward areas excepting the people, who had left for the houses of their relatives or taken shelter in other safer areas. However, he said, the administration has kept block offices and schools ready to accommodate the people, if they migrate.
“We have also sufficient number of tents available with us to meet with the border migration,’’ Wani said.
According to sources, the Indian side has been giving effective reply to Pakistani shelling and firing.
There have been 28 violations of the 2003 ceasefire agreement in August this year and this is the 12th consecutive day that Pakistani troops have shelled Indian posts along the LoC in the border district of Poonch.
There have been four ceasefire violations in three sectors of Krishna Ghati, Bhimber Gali and Pallanwalla in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts during intervening night of August 12-13.
Last month, there were 19 ceasefire violations in which four persons, including three jawans, were killed and 14 others injured in the State.
Pakistan violated the ceasefire 192 times along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir till July 26, sources pointed out.
On August 12, Pakistani troops had targeted Army posts and civilian areas with automatic weapons, mortar bombs and rockets in Sabzian-Mandi and Poonch sectors.
A youth was killed and two others, including a BSF jawan, were injured when Pakistani troops targeted border outposts and hamlets along the International Border in 4 sectors of Kanachak, Pargwal, Tawi and R S Pura in Jammu district on August 4.
Three civilians and a jawan were injured in violations on August 7 and 8.
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