Indian Army lodges protest with Pakistan on ceasefire violations
By IANSSunday, July 18, 2010
NEW DELHI - The Indian Army has lodged a “strong protest” with Pakistan over the continuous ceasefire violations from across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said Sunday.
“We have lodged a strong protest with the Pakistani army during a flag meeting held yesterday,” an official told IANS here.
The meeting, held near the LoC in Poonch sector, comes in the backdrop of Thursday’s ceasefire violation even as Indian and Pakistan foreign ministers were holding peace talks in Islamabad.
Pakistani troops opened heavy fire at five positions along the LoC and at another place from across the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir in a violation of the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Pakistani troops started firing from across the International Border in Ranbir Singhpora sector, 30 km west of Jammu, at around 10.30 p.m. Thursday. Within minutes, gun fire also came from across the Krishna Ghati sector in Mendhar area.
There have been at least eight ceasefire violations in the past two weeks.
On July 7, Pakistan Rangers fired at an Indian border post on the international border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor sector killing a Border Security Force (BSF) constable.
A day earlier, another BSF trooper was killed at the Chak Sagwali post in Pargwal area in Pakistani firing from across the border.
Pakistan Rangers are regularly violating the ceasefire agreement, according to Indian army sources who say that it was being done to divert attention and push infiltrators to this side.
