Pak Army Shells J&K’s Balakote, 1,700 Shifted to Relief Camps

A villager shows a mortal which was fired from Pakistan at Jhanghar village near the LoC at Nowshera sector on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

The Pakistani Army violated the ceasefire agreement along the LoC for the fourth consecutive day after it resorted to firing and shelling in J&K’s Balakote sector in the early hours of Wednesday.

“Pakistan Army resorted to firing on forward posts along the LoC in Balakote sector from 12:50 am on Wednesday,” a defence spokesman said.

Pakistan troops also fired on forward posts and civilian areas on Tuesday night along the LoC in Rajouri district. The firing continued till 1:30 am, the spokesman said.

He said the Pakistan army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 6:30 pm on Tuesday along the LoC in Nowshera sector. The firing continued till 9 pm.

There have been reports of regular ceasefire violations from Rajouri and Nowshera in the past week. Nearly 1,700 people have already been evacuated from the LoC hamlets and shifted to relief camps.

A villager points out damaged wall of a house after mortal shelling from Pakistan, at Jhanghar village area near the (LoC) at Nowshera sector on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

The Pakistan Rangers fired shells on the intervening night of 15 and 16 May on forward areas and civilian belts along the LoC in three belts of Rajouri district.

The firing and shelling from across the border has affected over 10,000 people.

On 13 and 15 May, many civilians were killed and others injured after Pakistani troops pounded civilian areas and forward posts in Nowshera area with mortars.

“Shelling started in Ans Bhandhaar areas of Nowshera in Rajouri at 10:55 pm on the nights of 15 and 16 May. Lam and Kalsian areas were also affected,” Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.

“Interdepartmental teams deputed by District Administration for damage assessment reported small arms firing begins at 4 pm on 15 May in village Sarya followed by villages Khamba, Anwas and Bhandar,” Choudhary said.

Also Read: 10,000 People Affected as Pak Ceasefire Violation Enters Day 2

Around 10,042 people from over 2,694 families have been affected by the continued shelling from across the border, the DC said.

The district administration has provided an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the dead and financial assistance to the injured, he said.

Choudhary said the administration is prepared to make more relief camps as more than 25 buildings have been earmarked.

According to a Home Ministry reply to an RTI, Pakistan violated ceasefire along the LoC 449 times in 2016 as compared to 405 instances in 2015. Around 23 security personnel were killed in the two-year period.

(With inputs from PTI)