Barely a week after Pakistan agreed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border, Pakistan army violated the ceasefire agreement yet again, pounding Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu.
Sensing trouble, Jammu and Kashmir government ordered the closure of all schools and educational institutions along the LoC in Nowshera sector as a precautionary measure ahead of Eid-ul-Azha (Bakr Eid).
The fresh ceasefire violation occurred on Wednesday when Pakistan army resorted to heavy and unprovoked firing on the Indian positions. "Pakistan army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, and mortars from 10.35 am in Nowshera sector along the Line of Control," said Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta, defence spokesman, Jammu.
Indian Army swung into action immediately and responded in equal measure to silence the Pakistani guns. "Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively," said Lt Col Mehta.
The fresh cross border firing came eight days after Indian and Pakistani army decided to uphold the ceasefire in letter and spirit. The decision was taken in a Battalion Commander-level flag meeting at Chakan–Da–Bagh in Poonch Sector on August 23.
Sources said both sides had agreed to the importance of exercising restraint on the Line of Control and keeping the channels of communication open between local commanders. Indian and Pakistan army commanders had also agreed on the necessity to institute mechanisms to ensure durable peace and tranquillity along the Line of Control.
"Schools and colleges will be closed till September 4. There has been a history of shelling on Eid. There is also a risk. Therefore, we thought, instead of taking a chance, we will shut the schools," said Dr Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri district.
Official figures reveal that there were 285 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army until August 1 this year. Around 228 such incidents were reported along the LoC in 2016. In 2015, around 405 incidents of cross border firing took place along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir. Of these, 253 incidents of cross border firing were along the International Border and 152 along the Line of Control.
RECORDS SAY...
- 285 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army were recorded until August 1 this year.
- 28 such incidents were reported along LoC in 2016.
- J&K saw 405 incidents of cross border firing in 2015.
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