Jammu: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday (October 28) lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan Rangers after the latter resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation and mortar shelling on forward posts and villages along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Pakistan Rangers had violated the ceasefire for the second time within 10 days in which a BSF personnel and a civilian was injured. The Pakistan Rangers opened fire in the Arnia area of R S Pura sector at around 8 pm on Thursday. The firing went on for nearly seven hours.
"A wing commander-commandant level flag meeting was held between BSF and Pakistan Rangers at BOP (Border Outpost) Octroi. BSF delegation leader lodged a strong protest to Pakistan Rangers for unprovoked firing in Arnia area in the night intervening October 26-27," the BSF said in a statement here on Saturday evening.
This was the second flag meeting between the two sides in 10 days after two BSF personnel were injured in the first ceasefire violation by Pakistan after 2021 on October 17.
A renewed ceasefire was agreed upon between the two countries on February 25, 2021.
Details of the meeting
According to the officials, the latest meeting was attended by seven members each of the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers and was held in a peaceful atmosphere with both sides highlighting the need to maintain peace along the border.
Besides the two ceasefire violations, a group of people escorted by Pakistan Rangers also came close to the International Border on October 21 following which BSF troops fired a couple of warning shots to drive them away.
The back-to-back ceasefire violations by Pakistan without any provocation have caused panic among the border residents who had to flee their homes amid intense shelling on Thursday night. The BSF also retaliated to the Pakistani shelling in a befitting manner.
(With PTI inputs)
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