Jammu(NDTV): A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan has been killed and six others have been injured as Pakistani soldiers opened fire and targeted 50 locations along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir last night.
Heavy firing went on till late in the night in all the six sectors along the border, particularly in RS Pura and Pargawal. Pakistani troops reportedly used small arms, mortars and rockets to shell BSF posts and nearby villages.
Ceasefire violations: DGMO-level talks with Pakistan put on hold, say Army sources
Talks between the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan for lowering the tension on the Line of Control (LoC) have been put on hold for the time being.
Talks between the two DGMOs were agreed as a first measure to put an end to the border skirmishes at a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on sidelines of UN general body meeting last month.
Sources told NDTV that in view of the continuous incidence of ceasefire violation the South Block is not keen to push for the meeting. New Delhi is watching the situation along the border keenly. “Talks cannot happen if the ceasefire agreement is continuously violated and casualties sustained,” a senior official told the media.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today visited the Samba sector in Jammu and Kashmir against the backdrop of a series of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops.
During his interaction with the BSF jawans, Mr Shinde made it clear provocations from Pakistan won’t be tolerated. “You fight for us, for the nation. You are very brave and I congratulate you all,” Mr Shinde told the Indian soldiers.
But hours ahead of his visit, there was another ceasefire violation, this time in the Abdullian sector in RS Pura in which several BSF posts were targeted in heavy firing that continued for an hour.
In 2012, there were 117 ceasefire violations in the entire year while in 2013, till October 18 there have already been 200-plus violations.
The frequent ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army have triggered fear among civilians in the border areas, forcing them to migrate from their villages to safer locations.
Yesterday, Army Chief General Bikram Singh met Defence Minister AK Antony to discuss the situation at the Line of Control following the ceasefire violations.
