Violating the ceasefire, Pakistani troops on Sunday targeted six forward posts along the LoC in Pooch district with mortars and other heavy calibre weapons, leading to a major exchange of fire between the two sides which left a jawan critically injured.
Pakistan troops opened indiscriminate and heavy fire on five to six Indian Posts along the Line of Control in Krishnagati sub-sector, 210 kms from here, at around 0905 hours today, Brigadier General Staff (BGS), 16 Corps, Brig Gurdeep Singh said. This is the fifth ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir this month.
They also fired four mortar bombs and rockets on Indian positions, he said adding these mortars were fired intermittently.
This is for the first time since the ceasefire was reached between India and Pakistan on November 26, 2003 that Pakistani troops have fired mortars.
"It is a unprovoked firing and ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops", Brig Singh said. Indian troops retaliated and the heavy exchange of fire continued till 1130 hours and intermittently till 1300 hours, he said adding that an army jawan was injured. Pakistani troops from Daku and Pippal posts targeted 6 Indian Forward Defence Locations (FDLs) of Kranti, Chajja One, Gorda, Kripan, Balnoie and Mankote in Krishnagati sub-sector.
They also used Medium machines guns (MMGs) and fired over 20 mortors shells on the Indian positions, Defence sources said. In Islamabad, the military today claimed that a Pakistani soldier was killed in the firing and demanded an immediate flag meeting to discuss the issue. On May one, there was ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Krishnagati belt of Poonch sector when they fired on four posts.
It was followed by ceasefire violation along International Border (IB) in Ballard post in Samba sector, where Pakistani Rangers fired on a border outpost. It was followed by a ceasefire violation along IB in Abdullaian BOP in Jammu sector, when Pak rangers blew up border fencing on May 12. On May 18, two jawans were killed and three injured in cross-border firing of Pakistan. PTI
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