Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 27: After small skirmishes, heavy firing today raged on along the Line of Control (LoC) at Kirni Shahpur and Mandi sub sectors in Poonch district throughout the day leading to killing of one Pakistan Army soldier and injuries to another while Rangers opened another front on the International Border (IB) in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district this evening causing injuries to a Havaldar of the Border Security Force (BSF) and a civilian.
Amidst firing, a woman Azmat Bi wife of Shakeel Ahmad, aged about 32, crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from forward village of Nakerkot in Digwar area of Poonch district this morning. A FIR has been filed against her.
There were no reports of any casualties or damage on the Indian side in the heavy firing along the LoC in Poonch district that started at 7.30 am and continued till late this evening.
“It was heavy arms firing with Pakistan using Rocket Projectile Guns (RPGs), Mortar Guns, Medium Machine Guns (MMGs) and Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs) prompting the Indian Army to retaliate,’’ official sources said.
Though there was no word from the Army on casualties suffered by Pakistan troops, sources confirmed that one trooper across the LoC was killed and another injured when Indian side retaliated to silence the Pakistani guns.
The dead Pakistani soldier has been identified as Asim Iqbal and the injured as Mohammad Khan.
Ambulances on Pakistan side were seen moving across Shahpur and Mandi taking the dead and injured to nearby town of Rawlakote in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Some posts on Pakistan side including Ring Control, Dakni Dhok, Neza Peer, Doda-1, Doda-2 and Cobra were reported to have suffered extensive damage. These posts, according to sources, were instrumental in resorting to heavy firing on the Indian positions in the morning. Two groups of militants, each comprising 10 members, were active on these posts but they didn’t make any attempt to sneak into this side under the cover of Pakistan firing after finding the troops very alert.
Army declined to comment on the claim of Pakistan’s Chief Military Spokesman Maj Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa made in Islamabad that one Pakistani soldier was killed and another injured in firing by the Indian forces along the LoC.
Public Relations Officer (Defence) Jammu (Officiating) S N Acharya, however, said Indian troops exercised utmost restraint and gave calibrated response to heavy firing by the Pakistani troops.
“There were no casualties on our side,’’ he said.
Sources said Pakistan Army violated ceasefire and started firing on forward Indian posts, numbering over a dozen, along Kirni Shahpur and Mandi sub sectors of Poonch district at 7.30 am.
Pakistan Army used RPGs, mortar guns and HMGs in the firing till 9.45 am. The firing then stopped for about an hour. However, Pakistan Army resumed the firing and Indian side retaliated. The firing stopped late in the evening.
Top Army officials were monitoring the situation arising out of heavy firing along the LoC. They have asked the troops in forward areas along the LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch to intensify round-the-clock vigil as Pakistan Army could resort to any mischief under the cover of firing including pushing of the militants.
Though the Pakistan Army had been resorting to firing mostly during the night earlier, it was during this summer that they have also started targeting forward Indian posts during the day. Initially, Pakistan Army had tried to push militants during the day light firing also but today no such attempt was visible but the troops maintained strict vigil during and after the firing.
The firing triggered panic among the people in the area, especially in Kirni Shahpur and Mandi forward belts in Poonch where it stretched for several hours.
At many places, the people left their houses for safer areas due to heavy intensity of firing from Pakistan side. However, they returned in the evening.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Rangers started unprovoked firing on forward Indian posts including Kota and Chandwan at village Chandre Chak in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district at 5.15 pm today. The BSF retaliated.
Exchange of firing continued for about an hour. BSF Havaldar Baljeet Singh and a civilian Sohan Lal S/o Dalip Chand R/o Manyari were injured in the firing.
The BSF jawans evacuated the injured from the site of firing and shifted him to District Hospital of Samba. His condition was stated to be stable. The injured civilian was discharged after first aid.
SSP Kathua Mohan Lal, SDPO Border ML Kaith and SHO Rajbagh Naresh Sharma visited the Forward areas.
Sources said Pakistan’s New Jagwal Post was instrumental in firing.
This was sixth ceasefire violation by Pakistan this month alone. On July 3, Pakistan violated ceasefire when it fired on cops, who had gone on LoC in Sabjian, Poonch to collect the body of a Pakistani intruder killed in IED blast on July 1.
Pakistani troops fired on troops trying to evacuate injured porters after one of them was killed in an IED blast by Pakistani militants along LoC in Poonch on July 8.
On July 12, Pakistani Rangers fired on Indian forward posts in Pindi belt along International Border (IB) in Arnia area of RS Pura sector.
Pakistani troops had opened small arms firing on Indian posts in forward area along LoC in Poonch district at on the night of July 22.
There were five ceasefire violation by Pak troops and two during two-day visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to J&K on June 25 and 26.
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