Cross-LoC trade suspended as panic grips Poonch sector

Tension prevailed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and panic gripped several areas as Pakistani troops on Monday fired on Indian forward positions for the tenth straight day in the Poonch sector and their mortar shells landed on civilian belts. Cross-LoC travel and trade has been suspended.

Defence PRO S N Acharaya said the latest ceasefire violations took place along the LoC in Hamirpur and Balakote belts of frontier Poonch district, around 185 km from here.

“The Pakistan Army last evening again fired at our positions in Hamirpur and Balakote. They fired mortars, RPGs and automatic weapons. Our troops also retaliated and the firing was going on till this morning,” he said. There was no report of loss of life or injury to anyone among troops.

Reports said some medium range mortar shells and rockets fired by Pakistani troops landed on civilian belts of Mankote and Mendhar, triggering panic among the residents. “Several houses in the forward villages on Indian side have suffered partial damage with pellets of mortar shells landing inside or close to their houses in Mendhar, Hamirpur, Balakote and other surrounding areas. Several cattle have also perished. Cattle sheds have also been damaged in some places,” reports added.

Sources said the Pakistan Army has been frequently firing 82 mm mortars with a range of three to four km in an attempt to target civil population.

Ceasefire violations by Pakistan have also led to suspension of cross-LoC travel and trade. “There will be no cross-LoC travel and trade this week. However, we will make efforts to exchange stranded civilians on both sides,” official sources told Deccan Herald.
Cross-LoC travel and trade on the Poonch-Rawalakote route via Chakan-Da-Bagh was suspended by Pakistan on August 5 for two weeks citing Eid and Independence Day celebrations.

 It was due to resume on Monday but, sources said, when Pakistan was resorting to heavy firing and shelling, cross-LoC trade may remain suspended for at least one week.
Sources said the Army has sounded a high alert along the LoC in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri and asked its men to maintain a high vigil. “Search operations were also conducted at some places in order to ensure area domination,” they added.

According to the Army, there have been 15 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in the past nine days while 71 ceasefire violations have taken place from January 1 to August 19, which is 85 per cent more than those during the same period last year.