In fresh ceasefire violation, Pakistan Rangers on Thursday targeted 13 border outposts in Samba sector, drawing sharp reaction from India, a day after an Indian jawan and four Pakistan soldiers were killed in exchange of fire.
India said it will lodge a strong protest with Pakistan over the fresh ceasefire violations. Thursday’s incident was the third ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the International Border in the past three days and seventh in the last eight days.
“They (Pakistan) have violated the norms on International Border. We are going to lodge strong protest to them (over ceasefire violation),” Inspector-General of Border Security Force Rakesh Sharma told reporters in Jammu.
Home Minister Rajanth Singh said Pakistan should desist from such violations and officials of both the countries have been in touch over the issue.
“Pakistan should not do this. Diplomats of both the countries remain in constant touch,” Mr. Singh said, adding normalcy will return soon.
The violation comes after four Pakistan Rangers were killed on Wednesday in BSF’s strong retaliation after a jawan of the force died in heavy firing from the other side on a patrol along the IB in Samba district.
“Pakistani rangers resorted to firing on 12 to 13 BoPs along the IB in Samba sector overnight,” Mr. Sharma said on Thursday.
“The BSF also retaliated, resulting in exchanges which continued till 0600 hours today,” the IG said.
“There was no causality or injury to anyone in the firing today,” Mr. Sharma said.
In Wednesday’s incident, one BSF jawan was killed and another injured in firing by Pakistan on Regal post in Samba.
As Pakistan Rangers suffered casualties, they had waved white flags asking BSF to stop the firing so that they can lift the bodies of its dead men.
Honouring their request, the BSF had stopped firing and allowed them to come to the border line and take the bodies away.
Mr. Sharma said that about 50-60 terrorists are waiting to sneak into the Indian side in Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan.
“There are about 50-60 terrorists at the launch pads on the other side waiting at the international border,” he said adding that security measures have been intensified on the Indian side to check any untoward incident.
Pakistan had on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad alleging that India had violated the ceasefire.
