Pakistan violates ceasefire again: Opens fire at seven BSF posts and civilians in Kashmir

In yet another ceasefire violation, Pakistani forces on Tuesday fired heavily at five BSF posts in the Hiranagar sector of Jammu and Kashmir. [caption id=“attachment_2033073” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Two BSF posts and civilians in Kathua sector were also targetted in the firing, according to this IBNLive report. BSF Director General DG Pathak is currently in Jammu to monitor the situation. “Our intention is not to target any civilians area and we never fire first. On the other hand, they target our civilians areas,” he said. This ceasefire violation comes after one BSF jawan had died in firing by Pakistan in an earlier ceasefire violation on Sunday night. Trooper Davinder Kumar was martyred after a Pakistani mortar splinter hit him inside his bunker in Samba sector. Four security personnel and a woman have been killed in the Pakistan shelling and firing during the last one week, officials had said, adding, five Pakistan Rangers and a girl were killed in retaliatory firing from the Indian side. BSF Director General DK Pathak had rushed to the border areas along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of heavy shelling from Pakistan Which had killed the BSF jawan. “We want to restore normalcy along the border but we are forced to retaliate because Pakistan Rangers resort to firing on us,” Director General of BSF, DK Pathak had earlier said. “Pakistan Rangers are not accepting protest notes over ceasefire violations. There is no communication between the two sides.” Officials had said that Pathak had also briefed Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incidents of heavy mortar shelling across the border. Moreover, the number of people abandoning their homes in border villages of Jammu and Kashmir crossed 10,000 on Tuesday amid heightened tension following Pakistan shelling. “Following indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas along the international border by Pakistan on Monday, more people have abandoned their homes close to the border in Samba and Kathua districts,” a senior official had told IANS. “Pakistan Rangers targeted more than two dozen BSF posts in Kathua and Samba districts on Monday. The BSF retaliated effectively to silence Pakistan guns,” a senior police officer in Jammu and Kashmir had said. (With agency inputs)