Poonch: There is no end to ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border with India in Jammu and Kashmir. Even as India celebrated its 69th Independence Day, Pakistan opened fire and resorted to shelling in the Balakote area of Poonch district killing five civilians and injuring 16 others.
The Pakistan Army began shelling on Saturday morning in civilian areas in Mendhar, Saujiyan and Mandi sectors of the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district resulting in heavy civilian casualty.
The offensive came even as Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sent his greetings to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday, saying promoting friendly ties between the two neighbours was in mutual interest ahead of the talks between their National Security Advisors (NSA) scheduled in New Delhi on August 23.
There have been 32 violations of the 2003 ceasefire accord in 2015 till August 15 and this is the seventh consecutive day that Pakistani troops have shelled Indian posts along the LoC in Jammu region, an Army official said.
Army PRO Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said, "Pakistani troops resorted to firing of 60 mm and 82 mm mortar shells on forward posts and civilian areas along LoC in Mandi, Hamirpur and Saujiyan sectors of Poonch from 1820 hours last evening to 0730 today".
There were four ceasefire violations in three sectors of Krishnagati, Bhimbhergali and Pallanwala in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts on the intervening night of August 12-13.
In July, there were 19 ceasefire violations in which four persons, including three jawans, were killed and 14
others injured.
Pakistan violated the ceasefire 192 times along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir till July 26, government had told Lok Sabha.
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