India violates ceasefire agreement

ISLAMABAD: Indian troops opened fire along the Working Boundary on Monday violating the ceasefire agreement with Pakistan.

Pakistan strongly protested the unprovoked fire and demanded that India abide by the new ceasefire agreement signed between both countries.

The Foreign Office spokesman said the Indian army opened fire in the Charwa sector without provocation, say media reports. This is the first reported incident of ceasefire violation after both countries had agreed to hold fire along the Line of Control and other sectors on February 25 this year. The foreign affairs ministry in a note verbale addressed to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad said: “The Indian BSF troops displayed aggressive behaviour by crossing the Working Boundary and blatantly using mortars with an intent to sabotage peace along Line of Control and Working Boundary.”

The ministry termed it “first serious and grave violation of Directors General Military Operation (DGMOs) understanding in 2021” by the Indian side. The diplomatic communication stated: “Troops from Indian BSF post in Square-9530 located in IIOJK Jammu Sector opposite Pakistani Charwa Sector fired approximately 30 rounds of small arms and four bombs of 60-millimetre mortar at Pakistani post in Square-9630 without any provocation. The incident happened when 15 BSF troops with three tractors crossed Working Boundary and started ploughing on the Pakistani side.

“When the Pakistan Rangers Punjab troops tried to persuade the BSF troops to return through loud hailers and whistles, the Indian BSF troops responded by firing small arms and mortars at the Pakistani post without provocation. The same BSF post took a sniper shot at a Pakistani post with the aim to score casualty.”

The foreign ministry expressed surprise over the coverage of the incident in the Indian media that accused Pakistan of violating the ceasefire understanding.