Pak troops open fire along LOC in Poonch for 2nd day

JAMMU: Pakistan on Wednesday resorted to twin ceasefire violations along the line of control (LOC) in Khari Karmara area of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, drawing retaliation from the Indian army.

Pakistani troops resorted to mortar shelling and small arms firing on forward posts in Digwar sector of Poonch district on Wednesday, the officials said.

“Pakistan army initiated indiscriminate firing of both small and heavy arms from 10:45 to 11:45am in the morning and 4:10 to 4:50pm in the evening. The army posts retaliated strongly and effectively to shelling and firing from the other side,” Police said.

No casualties or damage was reported on the Indian side during violations.on Tuesday, Pakistani troops had resorted to small arms fire along the LOC in Khari Karmara and Gulpur areas in Poonch.

The back-to-back violations in the same area has created fear among the locals.

“Earlier the Pakistan army used to target only defence locations and areas along the border. But now they have started targeting the civilian locations, that too in the middle of the village. They have increased the range of firing as well which has created fear among the villagers,” a local said.

Despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003, there were 1,591 incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LOC and the IB by Pakistan last year till October, the officials said.