Pak army shells Shahpur, Kirni sectors in J-K's Poonch

The Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Tuesday, a defence spokesman said. The latest ceasefire violation comes a day after a 60-year-old man was killed and four people were injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district.

"At about 4.30 pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars along LoC in Shahpur and Kirni sectors in Poonch district. Indian Army is retaliating befittingly," the official said. He added that there was no report of any casualty so far.

On February 2, the Pakistani army had targeted forward posts and villages in Balakot and Mendhar sectors of Poonch, damaging at least three houses. Former minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari expressed grief over the death of Mohammed Saleem Awan in Pakistani shelling in Kupwara and appealed to the Centre to sanction funds for immediate construction of underground bunkers for inhabitants of border areas in Jammu and Kashmir.

"It is unfortunate that there is no let up in shelling even during winters, causing more worries to the civilian population living in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir," Bukhari said. "People have suffered injuries and loss of property amid intense firing and mortar shelling. The Ministry of Home Affairs must ensure availability of sufficient funds to district administration for construction of additional bunkers in the left out areas," he added.

Referring to a Defense Ministry report indicating an increase in incidents of ceasefire violations along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir since August last year, Bukhari said the government must sanction and order speedy construction of underground bunkers for all left out border areas, especially in Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora districts of north Kashmir.