Pak Says One Thing, Does Another, Says BSF Officer On Akhnoor Firing

Jammu: The latest attack on Indian forward points by Pakistani forces, in which two Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers were killed today, has yet again proved that Islamabad said one thing and did another, a senior official said in Jammu.

Inspector General of BSF, Jammu frontier, Ram Awtar also ruled out that sniping or an attack by enemy personnel wearing 'thermal camouflage suits' led to the two casualties on the International Border (IB) in Jammu.

 Both BSF personnel fell to cross-border firing from Pakistan, he said. 

Assistant Sub-Inspector Satya Narayan Yadav and Constable Vijay Kumar Pandey - both residents of Uttar Pradesh were killed and 13 civilians injured in unprovoked and indiscriminate firing by Pakistani rangers in Akhnoor, Kanachak and Khour sectors of Jammu district today, officials said.

The violation comes nearly a week after Directors-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries agreed to implement the ceasefire pact of 2003 in "letter and spirit".

Mr Awtar said the ceasefire violation by Pakistan after the recent DGMO level talks between New Delhi and Islamabad again proved that Pakistan's words did not match its deeds.

"It is saying something but doing something else. The latest incident proved it once again," he said. Mr Awtar added that the BSF was strictly implementing the decision taken at the DGMO level by the two countries last week.

"Suddenly, Pakistan started firing around 1.15 am, injuring two of our personnel who later succumbed," he said referring to the latest incident. It was targeted firing on forward duty points by Pakistan, he added. 

Talking to reporters after the wreath laying ceremony for the soldiers at the force headquarters in Jammu, the senior BSF officer said the casualties were not the result of sniping but of sudden cross-border firing from Pakistan. 

"We have strongly responded and in the coming days we will know about the damage suffered by Pakistan in the retaliatory action," he said.

He said the BSF did not target civilian locations but Pakistani forces did.

"Pakistan, on the other hand, started targeting civilian areas of Pragwal and Kanachak since wee hours resulting in civilian casualties and damage to property, Mr Awtar said. 

Asked about reports suggesting the casualties were caused by 'thermal camouflage suits'  that the soldiers were wearing, he said "I don't think something like that happened in this case."

"There is a need to study this case thoroughly. After every incident we do a detailed study and accordingly take precautionary measures for the future. This incident of cross-border firing will be probed as well," the BSF IG said.  

Earlier today, the bodies of the soldiers were brought to the BSF headquarters.

State Power Minister Sunil Sharma and former health minister Bali Baghat joined BSF and civil officers in paying respects to the soldiers, whose bodies were later sent to their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh. 

"This time the central government is very determined and our message to Pakistan is to either change or get ready to be wiped out," the power minister said.

He added, "India has shown much patience. I think the time has come we should teach Pakistan a lesson for its misadventures."

He lauded border residents for braving frequent shelling and said they would soon be free from it.

"Though it is the domain of the centre, defence ministry and defence strategists, we understand that we are not going to tolerate the killings anymore. We are making efforts to normalise the situation but they are throwing grenades and firing on the borders," he said adding would not be cowed down by such actions.