Pak Violates Ceasefire in J&K, in a First Since Pact: BSF Officer

Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire by opening fire along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Monday, 3 May, reported PTI citing a senior BSF officer. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint)

Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire by opening fire along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Monday, 3 May, reported PTI citing a senior BSF officer.

A BSF spokesman, according to PTI, also said this is the first-ever ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the IB since the two countries signed a fresh agreement to maintain calm along the border on 25 February.

There was, however, no casualty in the firing.

MORE DETAILS

Inspector General of BSF, Jammu frontier, NS Jamwal, told PTI: “Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing along IB at 0615 hours in Ramgarh sector.”

The BSF spokesman, as per PTI, informed that Pakistani troops opened unprovoked firing on a patrolling party ahead of the fencing.

THE AGREEMENT

Earlier this year, the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGsMO) of India and Pakistan held discussions and reviewed the situation along the Line of Control (LoC), agreeing for the "strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the LoC and all other sectors with effect from midnight 24/25 Feb 2021", a joint statement posted by the Centre said on Thursday, 25 February.

"In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders, the two DGsMO agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence. Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight 24/25 Feb 2021," the statement said.

The two sides, the statement said, also emphasised on the usage of the existing mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings "to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding".

(With inputs from PTI.)