Army retaliates firmly, no casualties reported; emergency plans activated
Vikram Sharma
Jammu: Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and Kupwara districts, continuing with their ceasefire violations along the LoC, Army officials said on Monday.
This was the fourth consecutive night that Pakistan resorted to small-arms fire along the Line of Control (LoC) and came amid heightened tension between New Delhi and Islamabad following last week’s terror attack in Pahalgam.
A defence spokesperson said, “During the night of April 27-28, Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small arms fire across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara and Poonch districts.”
Indian troops responded swiftly and effectively, he added.
There were no report of any casualty.
Pakistani Army fired at different Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) on Thursday night, as well as on the intervening nights of April 25-26 and April 26-27, each time meeting with appropriate response.
The Pakistan military has been put on high alert following India’s assertion that it would hunt down the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam strike.
In view of the cross-border linkages to the Pahalgam attack, India last Wednesday announced a raft of punitive measures, including the suspension of the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, closing of the Attari land-border crossing and the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches.
New Delhi also asked all Pakistanis who entered the country via the Attari land border to leave by May 1.
In its response, Pakistan on Thursday announced shutting its airspace to all Indian airlines and suspended trade with New Delhi, including through third countries.
Pakistan also rejected India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and said any measures to stop the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the pact would be seen as an “act of war”.
Amid nationwide outrage over the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the killers would be pursued “to the ends of the earth” as he promised to “identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers”.
Meanwhile the ongoing skirmishes have unsettled life in the border villages. In areas like Arnia, Poonch, Samba, Hirapur Jyodia, and RS Pura, the sound of gunfire has created a tense atmosphere. Farmers are hesitant to venture into their fields, while many villagers have either moved in with relatives or started spending nights in bunkers for safety. Residents mention that while they are, unfortunately, accustomed to such border tensions, caution remains essential.
Although the situation in some sectors like Hiranagar is currently calm, apprehensions run high. Villagers are taking no chances, bunkers have been cleaned and stocked with air, water, and basic cooking supplies to prepare for any sudden outbreak of firing. In Jyodia and surrounding areas, the local administration has proactively conducted meetings to plan emergency measures, including the setting up of relief camps should an evacuation become necessary.
