Pakistan resorts to heavy firing in Poonch along LoC

A day after a soldier and a porter died and five soldiers and another porter were injured on the LoC in KG sector, Pakistan and India traded heavy fire on Friday in the same sector of Poonch district.

An Intelligence official told the HT on Thursday that a soldier and porter were killed and the six injured in an IED blast in Gulpur area on Thursday morning but the Indian army said in the evening the casualties were mounted after a ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

Sepoy TK Reddy and defence porter Mohammed Zahier were grievously injured during the exchange of fire and succumbed to their injuries later, a defence spokesperson said. Six other personnel, including one defence porter, also sustained injuries and are being treated, he added.

Defence spokesman Col NN Joshi said Pakistan army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 0745 hours in KG sector along the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday morning.

“Indian Army retaliated strongly and the gun duel lasted till 8.45 am ...” he said.

It was the third ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the past 24 hours.

Data compiled by the Unio home ministry shows that 2017 witnessed a major spike in the number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan, which has left the mutually brokered truce deal of November 2003 between the two countries in tatters.

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