Pak violates ceasefire again, India reacts sharply

JAMMU: In fresh ceasefire violation, Pakistan Rangers today targeted 13 border outposts in Samba sector, drawing sharp reaction from India, a day after an Indian jawan and four Pakistani soldiers were killed in exchange of fire.

India said it will launch a strong protest with Pakistan over the fresh ceasefire violations. Today's incident was the third ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the IB in the past three days and seventh in 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 ( BSF) Rakesh Sharma told reporters here.

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," Singh said, adding normalcy will return soon.

The violation comes after four Pakistani rangers were yesterday killed in BSF's strong retaliation after a jawan of the force lost his life in heavy firing from the other side on a patrol along the International Border in Samba district.

"Pakistani rangers resorted to firing on 12 to 13 BoPs along the IB in Samba sector overnight," Sharma said today.

"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," Sharma said.

In yesterday's incident, one BSF jawan was killed and another injured in firing by Pakistan on Regal post in Samba.

As Pakistani 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, BSF had stopped the firing and allowed them to come to the border line and lift the bodies.

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 yesterday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad alleging that India had violated the ceasefire.