We’re peace loving but have the right to retaliate: BSF
JAMMU: BSF’S DIRECTOR GENERAL SAYS HE HAS ASKED OFFICERS TO RETALIATE WITH FULL FORCE AND TEACH PAKISTAN A LESSON
The BSF’s director general KK Sharma said on Thursday the situation along the Line of Control and international border was “tense” but the paramilitary force was “more than prepared” to deal with it
“We don’t initiate first fire but if provoked, we strongly retaliate. I assure you that this time also strong action is being taken. The martyrdom of head constable A Suresh won’t go waste,” Sharma said at a press conference, while referring to the death of the BSF soldier in Pakistani firing on Wednesday night.
Commenting on the increasing ceasefire violations by Pakistan in recent months, Sharma said that India is a peace loving country and does not want to create a war-like situation.
“We are more than prepared to foil infiltration attempts and respond to ceasefire violations,” he added.
The DG said that he has asked officers on the ground to retaliate with full force and teach Pakistan a lesson.
The top official said the BSF inflicted heavy damages of life and property on Pakistan in its retaliatory fire after the latest round of skirmishes on the inter- national border in Arnia sub-sector. He said that the force also damaged two Pakistani posts opposite Arnia, the epicentre of heavy exchange of fire.
“I can’t give an exact number but if you monitor Pakistani media you will get it. It was not for the first time that Pakistan opened unprovoked fire at us. On January 3, they shot sniper round in which we lost a jawan. At that time also BSF had strongly retaliated and had inflicted heavy damages,” he said.
Pakistan Rangers have been targeting villages along the international border in Arnia and RS Pura areas of Jammu district since Wednesday night.
Sharma said that the latest incident was not that of a sniper fire. “The head constable was behind his LMG and was retaliating to Pakistani fire from a loophole of one foot by one-foot square. Enemies target that. A bullet entered from the loophole and hit him,” he said.
PAKISTAN SUMMONS INDIAN DIPLOMAT
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military accused Indian troops of initiating fire from across the border and targeting villages along Kashmir, killing two civilians and wounding five others in the latest “unprovoked” ceasefire violation. Pakistan’s foreign ministry later said the dead were women.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Thursday summoned an Indian diplomat and lodged a protest over the latest alleged cease-fire violation. In a statement, Pakistani official Mohammad Faisal claimed that ceasefire violations have continued from the Indian side despite calls for restraint.
“The Indian forces along the Working Boundary started indiscriminate and unprovoked firing,” news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
India quickly rejected the claim, saying, in fact, Pakistan initiated the fire, killing a 17-yearold girl and the soldier in Arnia.
The latest ceasefire violation by Pakistan came two days after the Indian Army killed seven Pakistani soldiers in Kotli’s Janglote area opposite the Mendhar sector. The dead Pakistani soldiers included a major as well.