Pak fires crisis along the border

A serious situation has erupted on the Line of Control (LoC) following unprovoked firing by Pakistani army, which has been using heavy automatic and small arms fire to target Indian forward positions in different sub-sectors of Poonch since Monday.

Two soldiers, including a BSF personnel, have been killed and two others injured in the firing.

Efforts to de-escalate the situation received a jolt when Pakistan postponed the flag meeting scheduled to be held at Chakan-Da-Bagh on Saturday without giving any reasons. The Cross-LoC trade via the Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing also remained suspended, awaiting de-escalation of the situation in the Krishna Ghati Sector.

“The situation remains tense (on the LoC) but under control,” said Col RK Palta, defence spokesman at Jammu

The crisis deepened on Saturday night when Pakistan army once again fired on Indian posts in the Krishna Ghati sector without any provocation.

“Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing, using heavy automatic and small arms fire, from 12 different posts at 10.pm Saturday. Later at 11.15 pm, Pakistan fired mortars and a large number of high explosive rounds on Indian posts in the same area. The firing continued till 12.30 am on Sunday ,“ Col Palta said.

The Indian army also retaliated by controlled effective firing to the Pakistani provocation. “Troops exercised utmost restraint. The response to Pakistani firing, though controlled, was effective fire. The Indian Army continues to maintain a high level of alert all along the LoC,” he added.

The tension started on Monday when Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire at Krishna Ghati sub-sector of Poonch sector in which a BSF jawan was injured. He succumbed to wounds on Wednesday night.

Pakistan forces on Wednesday afternoon, however, upped the ante and opened indiscriminate firing on Indian positions causing injuries to two soldiers, one of whom later succumbed.

The Indian Army immediately reached the Pakistani army through the hotline asking for restraint to de-escalate the situation. “Instead of responding to the Indian message, Pakistanis repeated the firing, injuring another jawan. Seemingly unsatisfied with Indian restraint, Pakistan continued to fire (on Indian posts).  On the night of June 15 our posts again came under small arms fire from the Pakistan side,” Col Palta said.

The Indian Army regretted that all attempts towards de-escalation of the situation and the resumption of routine life for civilians in the area, have received a negative response.

Around 102 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir have taken place since 2010. Around 44 cases of ceasefire violations along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir were registered in 2010. Around 51 cases of ceasefire violations were reported in 2011.

India and Pakistan declared cease-fire on all the three borders -- 772Km LoC, 192 Km International border and 122 Km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in Siachen – in 2003.