Within hours of a flag meeting between sector commanders of BSF and Pakistan Rangers to maintain ceasefire on the international border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir, the latter fired mortars at Indian positions on Tuesday.
According to police, the Pakistan Rangers fired two-to-three mortars in the Akhnoor sector of the IB around 1 am.
“Border Security Force (BSF) troopers did not retaliate. No casualty or damage was caused in the Pakistani shelling,” said an officer.
A sector commanders-level flag meeting was held in Suchetgarh between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers on Monday. The meeting lasted for two hours.
The meeting was held on Pakistan’s request and the two sides agreed to respect the ceasefire agreement in letter and spirit.
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However, hours later, Pakistan Rangers fired mortars at the border.
This is not the first time that Pakistan has gone back on its word.
On Sunday, just four days after committing to strictly adhering to the ceasefire pact of 2003, Pakistan troops heavily shelled Indian positions in the Pargwal sector in Akhnoor area of Jammu, in which two BSF personnel died and three civilians sustained injuries.
The two BSF troopers were ASI S N Yadav and Constable V K Pandey.
On May 29, the Directors-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had agreed to implement the ceasefire agreement of 2003 in letter and spirit forthwith and ensure that it would not be violated by both sides henceforth.
In case of any issue, it was mutually agreed, restraint would be exercised and the matter resolved through utilisation of existing mechanisms of hotline contacts and flag meetings at sector commander levels.
On 20 May, Pakistan Rangers pleaded for ceasefire in the Arnia, Samba and Kathy’s sectors after being pounded with heavy artillery that left a Pakistani trooper dead. However, it violated ceasefire hours later on the same night.
(With agency inputs)