Firing from Pakistan could be to push through militants into India: reports

There are inputs that Pakistan has been pushing in infiltrators into India in the garb of the cease fire violations in Poonch. The police are on a high alert across the region to block any Pakistani attempts to escalate militancy.

Press Trust of India quoted Defence Spokesman Colonel RK Palta as saying "there was a movement of six to seven people close to the LoC opposite Krishna Ghati sub-sector in Poonch sector at around 2145 hours."

The Indian troops opened fire on the suspected infiltrators and thereafter there was exchange of heavy fire, said Colonel Palta. After about half-an-hour of exchange of fire, the suspected infiltrators disappeared from the scene, Colonel Palta said. There was no immediate report of any casualty or injury on the Indian side.

Pakistani troops had continued intermittent firing across the LoC at five posts in the Krishna Ghati and Sona Gali sectors of Jammu and Kashmir all through Friday night, sources in the Indian Army said. They added that the firing first began from the Pakistani side at around 4.30 pm on Friday after which India retaliated.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid told NDTV today that India has not got any substantial response from Pakistan yet on the "mutilation" of the bodies of the two jawans who were killed by Pakistani troops near the LoC. Of the two jawans who were killed on Tuesday, one was decapitated. The minister emphasised that this was "unacceptable and must be explained" but added that "we are not going to be pressurised by wild calls for revenge and reaction."

There have been a series of high-level meetings in Delhi as India monitors the tension along the LoC in Kashmir. New Delhi has also sought a flag meeting between Indian and Pakistani commanders in Mendhar, but Pakistan is yet to respond to the request.

The stand-off has impacted the cross-border trade and a bus service between the Poonch sector in India and Rawalakot on the Pakistan side of the Line of Control (LoC). Indian authorities say they have been informed by the Pakistani side that trade and travel has been suspended in that sector because of the tension in the region and the possibility of crossfire.

Border trade is however unaffected between Uri and Chakan-da-Badh in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and across the Wagah-Attari border. Cross-border trade and bus services were both introduced to build confidence and trust between the two countries. Vegetables and fruits are bartered every week at designated trade centres along the LoC.

Both sides have accused the other's troops of violating the ceasefire and crossing the LoC to kill jawans. Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal was summoned by the Pakistan government on Friday in protest against the death of a Pakistani soldier who died on Thursday evening allegedly in firing by Indian troops. A statement released after the meeting said Pakistan had protested against "the repeated, unacceptable and unprovoked attacks on Pakistani soldiers by the Indian Army."

The tension began last Sunday when the Pakistani army accused India of killing one of its soldiers and wounding another in a cross-border attack. India said its troops had opened fire following a Pakistani mortar attack, but denied they crossed the border. Four soldiers have been killed in the last five days. This week marks a peak in hostility since 2003, when the ceasefire was agreed upon.

(With inputs from PTI)