Pak violates ceasefire along Loc and IB J&K

Pakistan once again violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing along the LoC in Kirni and Qasba sectors in Poonch district. Indian Army retaliated and the cross-border shelling was continuing when last reports were received.

Jammu: Pakistani troops on Saturday violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Poonch and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Indian troops guarding the borders retaliated befittingly to silence the Pakistani guns and there was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, the officials said.

At about 8 pm, a defence spokesperson said Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along LoC in Kirni and Qasba sectors in Poonch district.

Indian army retaliated and the cross-border shelling was continuing when last reports were received, he said.

Earlier, Pakistani rangers resorted to firing from across the border in Karol Matrai and Chandwa along the IB in Kathua district started around 12.45 am, drawing effective retaliation by the Border Security Force (BSF), the officials said.

They said the exchange of firing between the two sides continued till 3 am.

The Pakistani firing caused panic among the border residents who were forced to spend the night in the underground bunkers for their safety, the officials said.

PTI