'Unable to damage BSF posts, Pakistan diverting fire at civilian areas'

JAMMU: Pakistani troops are targeting the civilian areas because they think that they are not being able to cause any big damage to the Border Security Force (BSF) posts, Director General of the force, D K Pathak, said today.

The officer also said that the BSF have been retaliating "very strongly" to the ceasefire violations.

"We are giving answer and we have been retaliating very strongly," said Pathak, who visited Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Jammu today to meet civilians injured in the Pakistani firing.

"They are targeting the residential areas because they think that they are not being able to cause any huge damage to the BSF posts, which is wrong and should not happen," Pathak told reporters here.

The DG said that at present there are no talks about flag meeting.

At least eight persons have been killed and 71 others including eight security personnel injured in firing by Pakistan troops this month.

About 18,500 border residents have migrated from various hamlets to safer areas.