Pakistan Army violates ceasefire on LoC in J&K for 10th consecutive day

Jammu, May 4 (IANS) For the 10th consecutive day, Pakistan Army violated ceasefire on the Line Of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday as the Indian troops retaliated proportionately, officials said.

Defence Ministry statement on Sunday said, "During the night of May 3 and May 4, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked small arms fire across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir."

"Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately."

Tensions reached a new high between the two countries after Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists sponsored and aided by Pakistan killed 26 innocent civilians, including 25 tourists and a local, on April 22 in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.

The entire country was outraged by the cowardly act of terrorists as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his first reaction to Pahalgam killings that the terrorists, their handlers and backers would he chased and hunted down to the ends of the earth.

India announced a slew of measures against Pakistan including deportation of its nationals from Indian soil, closing of Attari-Wagah border crossing, throwing the Indus Water Treaty into abeyance, closing its airspace for Pakistani commercial flights and cancellation of all trade and cultural exchange between the two countries.

Prime Minister Modi has given operational freedom to the armed forces to avenge the Pahalgam killings.

This decision came after the PM met the Defence Minister, National Security Advisor, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and Chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force.

Prior to that meeting, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a 40-minute-long meeting with Prime Minister Modi on April 28.

The Defence Minister met the PM after he received a detailed briefing by the CDS General Anil Chauhan on the preparedness of the country's Armed forces to meet any eventuality.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha had a security review meeting with Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi in Srinagar a few days ago.

The L-G asked the Army to use whatever force is required to hunt down the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Meanwhile, to send a powerful message to terrorists, their overground workers and sympathisers, security forces continue demolition of the houses of terrorists.

On April 25, two houses belonging to Adil Hussain Thokar and Asif Sheikh were demolished in the Tral and Bijbehara areas.

Both these terrorists were part of the LeT terrorist group involved in the Pahalgam killings.

Security forces have so far demolished the houses of 10 terrorists, who are reportedly still active in the Kashmir Valley.

On April 28, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly unanimously condemned the dastardly terrorist attack and passed a resolution on it.

--IANS

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