Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 26: As ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) between India and Pakistan completed nine years, Pakistan Army resorted to this year’s fiercest firing in almost entire Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district last night, which lasted more than four hours.
Pakistan Army fired more than 6000 rounds including 5000 from heavy machine guns during the firing, which was reportedly aimed at expressing displeasure against their own country’s leadership as the two neighbours completed nine long years of ceasefire, official sources here said.
It was on November 26, 2003 during the regime of NDA Government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee that ceasefire between India and Pakistan had come into force reducing the mounting tensions between the two countries in the wake of Parliament attack after which India had deployed troops on the borders in full battle gears and massive strength.
“However, the ceasefire was quite often violated by Pakistan Army and Rangers mostly to push trained militants into this side and give covering fire to the infiltrators”, sources said, adding that this year it was for the first time in 2012 during nine years truce that the Pakistani Rangers directly targeted civilians in Samba, Arnia and RS Pura sectors on the IB hampering the cultivation of crops at Zero Line.
After ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force on November 26, 2003, the civilians, who had migrated from forward villages both on LoC and IB to safer areas, gradually returned to their houses and harvesting of crops also started even close to the Zero Line.
“Though there had been ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army and Rangers to give cover to infiltrators but this was for the first time this year that the Rangers directly targeted the civilians working in their fields at Chechwal and Mawa in Samba sector, Arnia and RS Pura sectors”, sources said, adding that the firing was resorted to in the aftermath of the BSF detecting an underground tunnel dug by the Rangers inside the Indian territory at Chechwal.
Pakistan authorities had dug the tunnel about 500 meters inside the Indian territory from their side with a view to push militants and narcotics into this side.
Sources said the ceasefire had gradually been holding barring few incidents of violations from Pakistan side.
It may be mentioned here that there had been massive build up of Army on Indian borders after the Parliament attack. Tensions had mounted between the two countries when suddenly the then Pakistan Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali had unilaterally announced ceasefire on LoC and IB. India had reciprocated his gesture.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Army started heavy firing on almost all forward Indian posts in Krishna Ghati sector at 7.40 pm last night. The firing continued till 11.45 pm.
“Indian troops gave calibrated response to Pakistan firing”, Defence spokesperson SN Acharya said.
He added that this was the fiercest firing this year by the Pakistani troops as they fired 6000 rounds during four hours including 5000 rounds of heavy machine gun.
However, Acharya said, there were no casualties or damage on Indian side during the fire but forests along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector caught fire. Before the fire could spread further, it was controlled in the wee hours of this morning by the troops, he added.
Sources said there were no traces of infiltration attempt by the militants under the cover of firing from across the LoC. Nevertheless, troops conducted massive searches all along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector this morning. However, they didn’t come across any attempt made by the militants to intrude into this side, they added.
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