Pak initiates multiple weekend ceasefire violations

Pakistan's army initiated indiscriminate firing in the Nowshera area of Rajouri district in Jammu & Kashmir today, to which the Indian Army said it had retaliated with the same force.

Pakistan had earlier today also violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu's Krishna Ghati sector.

"The Pakistani troops violated ceasefire with small arms, rocket projectile grenades, recoilless rifles and mortars around 8.45 am in Lam sector along the LoC. Indian Army retaliating strongly and effectively," said defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta.

"This is the ninth ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army since 1 June and the sixth in the last 72 hours," said Lt Col Mehta. "The situation is under control now. We don't have reports of any casualty as of now."

The Pakistan Army had initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars around 6.20 am.

This is the second ceasefire violation in the Krishna Ghati sector in two days. Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire along the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district on Saturday.

The Pakistan army had initiated indiscriminate firing thrice on Sunday along the Line of Control (LoC) in different sectors of Jammu and Kashmir. The first ceasefire violation was at the Bhimber Gali sector in Rajouri district, after which the Pakistan Rangers started firing on forward Border Security Force troops in Ramgarh Sector of Samba district on the international border.

Later on Sunday, Pakistan violated ceasefire along the LoC in Nowshera sector.

Infiltration bid
Defence sources told the media that more than 200 armed terrorists are waiting at launching pads to infiltrate into India across the Line of Control from Phallanwalla in Jammu to Kupwara-Baramulla sectors in Kashmir valley.

An Indian Army said officer said, ''We have inputs of 150 to 200 militants waiting at the launching pads to cross into this side this year. If all of them succeed in making their entry, this figure can reach 400.''

The Army on Sunday said that militants are ''desperate'' to infiltrate into Kashmir and ''their new strategy this year is to sneak in through all passes''. It also said Rampur, Nowgam, Gurez, Machil and Uri areas on the Line of Control in Kashmir are ''very hot'' but ''soldiers are maintaining a tight vigil to thwart all infiltration bids''.

According to Greater Kashmir, a senior army official posted in north Kashmir said though infiltration happens in months of May and June as snow melts due to rise in temperatures, ''This time we are witnessing attempts by militants to sneak in from all areas and passes along the LoC.''