Border skirmishes continue in different sectors along LoC for 9th day in J&K

JAMMU: The post-to-post small arms firing between India and Pakistani troops continued in different sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir for the ninth consecutive night, officials said on Saturday.

However, there was no casualty in the border skirmishes initiated by Pakistan troops in violation of the ceasefire agreement.

This was the nine consecutive nights of unprovoked firing from across the border, which had mostly restricted to LoC. There was only one incident of firing along the International Border (IB).

Firing between the two sides comes amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

“During the night of May 2 and 3, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked small arms fire across the Line of Control opposite the Kupwara, Uri, and Akhnoor areas of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

“Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately,” a defence spokesman said.

Civilians living along the LoC and IB have begun cleaning their community and individual bunkers to make them habitable in case of an escalation to shelling.

Since the night of April 24, just hours after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistani troops have been resorting to unprovoked firing at various places along the LoC in J&K, starting from the Kashmir Valley.

Initially beginning with unprovoked small arms firing at several posts along the LoC in Kupwara and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, Pakistan swiftly expanded its ceasefire violations to the Poonch sector and subsequently to the Akhnoor sector of the Jammu region.

This was followed by small arms firing at several posts along the LoC in the Sunderbani and Naushera sectors of Rajouri district. Subsequently, the firing expanded to the Pargwal sector along the International Border in Jammu district.

The renewed ceasefire violations come despite a recent hotline conversation between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, during which the Indian side is learnt to have cautioned Pakistan.

On April 24, Pakistan blocked its airspace for Indian airlines, closed the Wagah border crossing, suspended all trade with India, and warned that any attempt to divert water would be considered an “act of war.” The ceasefire along the borders was reaffirmed in February 2021, when both countries agreed to observe the 2003 agreement in letter and spirit. However, the current situation marks a significant departure from the relative calm maintained since then.

India shares a total of 3,323 km of border with Pakistan, divided into three parts: the International Border (IB), approximately 2,400 km from Gujarat to the northern banks of the Chenab River in Akhnoor, Jammu; the Line of Control (LoC), 740 km long, running from parts of Jammu to parts of Leh; and the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), 110 km long, dividing the Siachen region from NJ 9842 to Indira Col in the north.(agencies)