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Pak breaches truce at LoC in Poonch

Anubhav Misri. Dated: 7/23/2013 11:19:32 PM

POONCH, Jul 23: Pakistan troops, second time within a week, breached truce by resorting to unprovoked firing on Indian forward posts with light weapons along Line of Control (LoC) in Sawjian sector of Mandi tehsil in Poonch district.
Late Monday night, Pak army once again violated ceasefire by targeting Indian forward posts in Sawjian sector.
Sources said that at around 10.20 PM, Pak troops of 644 Mujahidin and 816 Mujahidin opened unprovoked firing from their forward Balawali post with small arms on Indian forward posts 9029 and Kanari. Indian troops of 112 BSF initially exercised restraint and did not retaliate. However, as Pak troops did not relent, Indian side too responded with equal caliber.
Locals confirmed that Pakistan army was targeting forward Indian posts as well as local population.
Army officers preferring anonymity confirmed that there was firing from Pakistan troops with light weapons including LMG on forward Indian posts 9029 and Kanari along LoC in Sawjian sector of Mandi tehsil in Poonch district.
They further confirmed that Pakistani troops of 644 Mujahidin and 816 Mujahidin opened fire from their forward Balawali post.
“Our troops guarding the LoC retaliated only when Pakistan troops continued to target Indian forward posts. Later, Indian troops too retaliated in equal measure,” they said.
Earlier, Pak troops had violated ceasefire on July 21 in Degwar sector of Poonch.
This was for the fourth time during this month when the Pak army violated the agreement in a bid to facilitate infiltration bid from across the Line of Control.
However, the Ministry of Defence spokesperson Col R K Palta, "The Pakistani troops opened small arms firing at Indian posts in forward area along LoC in Poonch district between 2230-2250 hours last night.”
“The Pakistani troops also fired Pika rifle rounds. The firing continued for 20 minutes last night,” Col Palta said.
Indian troops guarding the border also retaliated, resulting in exchange of fire, he said. There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing, the PRO said.
On July 3, Pakistani troops fired at policemen, who had gone to LoC at Sawzian in Poonch to collect the body of a Pakistani intruder killed in IED blast.
The Pakistani troops had again fired at Indian soldiers on July 8 while they were trying to evacuate injured porters along LoC in Poonch.
On July 12, Pakistani Rangers opened fire at Indian forward posts in Pindi belt along International Border (IB) in Jammu district.