Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Pakistan’s army yet again resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Mankote sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, by firing mortars and small arms as J&K marks the first anniversary of Article 370 roll back, defence officials said.
They said at around 6 pm, Pakistani rangers fired mortars and small arms in a bid to target Indian army posts at Mankote sector in Poonch. “The own troops gave a befitting reply,” a defence official said adding that exchange of fire remained on for almost an hour. “There was no report of any loss to life or property,” he said.
Locals living adjacent to the Mankote sector in Poonch district said initially a few sounds of loud bangs were heard but within no time, the entire area started witnessing big bangs as there was a heavy exchange of mortars between Indian and Pakistani armies.
“We were out with the livestock and some of us were busy in the fields. We ran for safety after hearing intense exchange of fire,” said Ranjeet Kumar, a resident of Mankote sector.
Defence sources also said that, Pakistan started intense shelling post abrogation of Article 370 last year and continues to resort to frequent unprovoked ceasefire violations in both the regions of Kashmir and Jammu since last year.
“The Indian army has been giving a befitting reply to Pakistan every time it violates ceasefire. This time we were expecting some misadventure from Pakistan as it’s the first anniversary of Article 370 roll back today. Our troops are alert across LoC and are keeping a watch on every attempt made by the neighbour be that ceasefire violation or an infiltration bid,” they said.
As per official records, since January this year, over 1,775 ceasefire violations have taken place in J&K, majority of them in Poonch, Rajouri, RS Pura, Keran, Tangdhar, Machil and Uri sectors of the J&K Union Territory.
An army official said that it is the Pakistan army that violates the 2003 CF pact every time. “We are always giving them a befitting response. There have been casualties on both sides,” he said, adding that “this year so far, there is a surge in CFV from across the LoC.”
Pertinently, after a long gap of over three decades, the government in the Jammu and Kashmir has once again started construction of community bunkers in villages close to Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, NVI was the first to break the story about construction of community bunkers in Uri, Tangdhar and Gurez sectors of north Kashmir’s Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla district. The construction of almost 140 bunkers was started after massive protests by the locals living close to the LoC and their threats of migration from the villages.
-RJV
