Heavy firing by Pakistan along LoC, Army strongly retaliates

Pakistan has violated ceasefire agreement by resorting to unprovoked firing in at least three sectors along the Line of Control (LoC). Ceasefire violations were reported from Pakistani side in Akhnoor, Nowshera, Krishna Ghati Sectors in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

“There are ceasefire violations by Pakistan along LoC in Akhnoor, Nowshera and Krishna Ghati sectors on Tuesday. At about 1730 hours (5.30 pm), Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by resorting to heavy shelling with mortars and firing of small arms in Akhnoor, Nowshera and Krishna Ghati sectors,” said Defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand.

Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively, he added. The three sectors fall in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

An Army source informed that Pakistani troops have opened fire in Akhnoor, Pallanwala in Jammu district, Nowshera, Laam and Jhangar in Rajouri district and Mendhar, Balakote, Khari Karmara and partly Poonch in Poonch district.

He also informed that Pakistani troops were also using 120 mm mortars, a battalion level flat trajectory weapon. The Pakistani troops were also targeting civilian areas in Nowshera, Mendhar, Balakote and KG sectors.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) early on Tuesday morning conducted a major pre-emptive strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest camp acting on “concrete intelligence inputs” about the terror group preparing to carry out more attacks in India. IAF dropped 1,000 pound bombs in a thickly-forested hilltop that has eliminated a large number of terrorists. This camp was headed by Jaish chief Masood Azhar’s brother-in-law Maulana Yousuf Azhar.

Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, when at least 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

Watch | ‘India’s strike act of aggression, have right to self defence’: Pakistan FM

A PTI report says that the year 2018 witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations — 2,936 — by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border. Tuesday’s ceasefire violation by Pakistan, however, is the fourth consecutive day of unprovoked firing by the other side of LoC.

Pakistan continues to violate the ceasefire understanding of 2003 despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the agreement during flag meetings between the border-guarding forces of the two countries, the agency quoted officials as saying.