Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Cross-border firing continues along LoC

- Press Trust of India letters@hindustant­imes.com

JAMMU: Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire on Sunday morning along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

“There was firing by Pakistani troops from 0900 hours along LoC in Poonch sector on Sunday,” an officer said.

Indian troops retaliated and there was brief exchange of firing, he said. The firing took place in Shahpur sector of Poonch.

No casualties were reported in the firing.

On December 30, a civilian was killed as Pakistan army indulged in heavy cross-border shelling, targeting Indian positions and civilian areas along the LoC in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Mohammed Tanver, a resident of Noor Kot village in Khari Kamara area was killed when he was hit by shell fired from across the border. The constant firing from Pakistan had prompted the Indian side to give a befitting reply.

On December 16, Pakistan army had targeted Indian positions along the LoC in the Balakote sector of the same district.

The 2003 India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement has virtually become redundant with over 300 incidents of firing and shelling along LoC and the Internatio­nal Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani troops.

These repeated violations have resulted in death of 27 people, including 14 security personnel, since the surgical strike on terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in September.

Over a year has passed since it was signed but Jamia has not shown any inclinatio­n to activate this MoU. The Palestinia­n side is keen to move forward, but apathy seems to be a hurdle...

MJ AKBAR, minister of state for external affairs, in his letter to Jamia University V-C Jamia’s failure in initiating a follow-up action on the signed pacts was brought up during his recent visit to Palestine.

While V-C Ahmad confirmed that he had received a letter from Akbar, he said there was no apathy from their side in implementi­ng the pacts.

“No university has special funds for special collaborat­ions.

 ??  ?? ASHOK NATH DEY/ HT
(Clockwise from top left) People release balloons near a church in Ahmedabad; Revellers throng Marina beach in Chennai on New Year’s Eve; Women take a selfie in Kolkata; and Bihar health minister and RJD chief Lalu
Prasad Yadav’s...
ASHOK NATH DEY/ HT (Clockwise from top left) People release balloons near a church in Ahmedabad; Revellers throng Marina beach in Chennai on New Year’s Eve; Women take a selfie in Kolkata; and Bihar health minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s...

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