Another ceasefire violation on the LoC

Pakistani troops Thursday again violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, firing on Indian posts in Poonch district, a defence official said. No casualties were reported in the exchange of fire lasting around 20 minutes.

"Pakistani troops opened fire with small arms and automatic weapons on Indian posts in Krishnaghati sector of Poonch at around 6.30 p.m. Indian troops retaliated with similar calibre weapons. Exchange of fire continued till around 6.50 p.m.," said defence spokesman, Capt. S.N. Acharya.

No casualties or damage was reported, he said. The incident came a day after Pakistani troops fired at Indian positions on the LoC in Mendhar sector of Poonch district Wednesday.

The unprovoked firing by Pakistan troops, in yet another violation of the bilateral ceasefire agreement signed by India and Pakistan in November 2003, came after the return of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from the US where he met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, and the two had agreed to work out a more effective mechanism to stop ceasefire violations.