Poonch: Unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan again, second time in less than a week

Pakistani soldiers initiated indiscriminate firing at midnight on Indian Army posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Shahpur Kerni area of Poonch  sector, defence officials said. 

“The firing started at around 12.10 am. The Indian Army posts have retaliated appropriately.  Intermittent firing is presently on. Mortar shells are also being used. No casualties or damage to our troops was reported till the report last came in,” shared defence spokesperson with media on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday’s ceasefire violation is second in less than a week.  On September 2, Pakistan troops violated ceasefire by firing on forward army posts along LoC in Akhnoor sector in Jammu district.

Earlier on August 14, 2016, a 50-year-old woman was injured when the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire twice and targeted Indian posts on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch sector in two different areas. 

Last year, 16 civilians were killed and 71 others injured in 405 incidents of cross-border firing by Pakistan, the officer said.

While 253 incidents of ceasefire violations took place along the International Border (IB), 152 incidents were reported along the LoC, he said.

Around 8,000 people were temporarily affected due to the ceasefire violations and had to be shifted to safer locations.

(With PTI Inputs)