Heavy firing and shelling continues on Indo-Pak Border

Unprovoked heavy firing and shelling across the 192 km Indo-Pak border shows no signs of abating, with the political and military set-up in both countries showing no willingness to compromise. Pakistani Rangers targeted 40 border out posts and 25 border hamlets along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts of J & K. According to India, this has been Pakistan’s 17th breach of ceasefire in the month of October.
BSF (Border Security Force) has been returning fire in many places along the border, especially in Pargwal. This has led to intensive exchange of fire between the Indian and Pakistani forces. There has been no loss of life or property to BSF as of now. However, the civilian casualty has been significant, and rising, on both sides of the border.

 Casualties

The people bearing the brunt of the exchange of fire have been the civilians. Thousands of people have been displaced, or have fled their villages to escape the firing. Around 1000 people have been shifted to camps. Six people have been killed and 50 others including BSF personnel have been injured in firing along the LoC and the international border.

 Ceasefire violations

From October 1 to October 6, there have been ceasefire violations in different areas along the border intermittently but on every single day without exceptions. On October 2, Pakistani Rangers targeted civilian villages, leading to six persons being hospitalized with injuries

 Response by the Indian government/Action taken

National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, held a high-level meeting that included the Home Secretary, Chief of Intelligence Bureau and BSF representatives. The bureaucrats were briefed on the violence along the border by the BSF representative, and the situation was discussed.
Defence Minister, Arun Jaitley, said that Pakistan would face heavy military response from India if their ceasefire violations continued.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2014