Pakistan army violates ceasefire again along LoC in Poonch district

In yet another ceasefire violation, Pakistan army troops resorted to mortar shelling on forwarding posts and civilian areas along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said Friday. Indian troops fired in retaliation, they said, adding that no casualty or damage was incurred. There were nearly 1,600 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan in 2018 till October-end, the highest recorded in a year so far, they added.

The areas hit twice in intermittent shelling and firing on Thursday were Gulpur and Khari Karmara in Pooch district, where some shells hit a shop, a house and a cowshed. Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire on Wednesday and Tuesday also by resorting to firing on forward areas along the LoC in Poonch. Despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquillity, Pakistan forces have carried out 1,591 incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Border (IB) in J&K till October end last year, they said.

(With inputs from agencies.)