Poonch:
Three Army jawans have been injured after Pakistani troops fired at Indian posts in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir this morning. This is the eleventh instance of ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the past five days.
According to sources, Pakistani forces began firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote belt of Poonch from 7.30 AM. They reportedly fired from small arms and automatic weapons and also resorted to mortal shelling.
The Army retaliated in equal measure, resulting in heavy exchange of fire on both sides. The injured jawans, sources say, could not be evacuated due to the intense firing. One Army porter who, had also sustained injuries has died.
Firing was also reported in Mendhar sub-sector of Poonch district last night but there were no casualties.
In a separate incident, the Border Security Force (BSF) today said it had foiled an attempt by a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) to attack a forward post along the Line of Control. Surveillance equipment detected the Pakistani team approaching the post in Krishnagati sub-sector in Poonch at around 11:30 pm on Wednesday. Alert jawans of BSF's 135 battalion, manning the post, fired back, resulting in the BAT team escaping towards the Pakistani side.
The BAT had earlier attacked an Army patrol at the LoC in Poonch last week, killing five Indian soldiers, resulting in a massive escalation of tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Islamabad continues to deny any "involvement" in the incident.
While Pakistan's newly-elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif has, through this period, consistently talked peace, urging for what he called as a "new beginning" with India, the country's army has repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement of 2003.