Early Times Report
Jammu, May 23: The Ramzan ceasefire announced amid much fanfare in Jammu and Kashmir is losing sheen in the face of fresh spate of violence and ceasefire violations taking toll in the state.
Five civilians including a minor boy and a woman were killed in Pakistan's unprovoked ceasefire violation in Samba sector of J&K. Over 30 persons including 5 BSF personnel have been injured so far.
As per reports, there are clear indications that Pakistan is taking undue advantage of the ceasefire and has been attacking the Indian posts without any provocation from this side.
Pakistan's Rangers' heavy mortar shelling is currently going on in R.S.Pura, Arnia, Ramgarh, Samba and Hiranagar sectors of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts. The BSF has been retaliating the shelling very effectively, inflicting heavy damages on Pakistan forces across the border.
Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, all schools within five kms of the border are closed. The administration has deployed police forces in border areas to help those affected, reach safety. Relief camps have been set up, to ensure those displaced by Pakistan's ceasefire violations face minimum hardship.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has warned Pakistan over the repeated ceasefire violations. He said Indian troops won't fire first but will respond if fired upon. The Home Minister clearly said that India's neighbour does not want peace and its motives need to be evaluated.
Also, ten people were injured in a grenade attack by suspected militants in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Wednesday. Police said the militants hurled a hand grenade in Goriwan Chowk of Bijbehara town that left 10 civilians, including a woman and a 12-year-old boy, injured.
A police spokesman said the grenade exploded on a road in a populated area, but did not specify the target of the attack. "Six people who suffered minor injuries in the grenade blast are being treated at a nearby hospital while the seriously injured, including the boy, has been referred to Srinagar for advanced treatment," the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the main notion making rounds within the political landscape is that Pakistan is making a complete mockery of the Ramzan ceasefire and there are enough incidents that could prove that it wouldn't end the violence in Kashmir in the near future.
"On one side, there are blasts taking place in the market places during broad daylight and on the other hand, on borders, there isn't any sign of peace found anywhere. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the border skirmishes have flared up since the government of India announced ceasefire," was how one netizen reflected the situation in Kashmir.
The United Jihad Council, an amalgam of various militant groups fighting a war in Kashmir against the army, last week said that the ceasefire declaration by India would have looked receptive and encouraging if this country would have shown some seriousness and character.
While addressing high command council meeting UJC head, Syed Salahuddin said that this ceasefire is a big joke as it is based on the idea of ceasefire versus ceasefire. "Once the month of Ramzan will be over, India will again unleash terror and resort to killings," he said, adding that such tactics can't mislead the people of Kashmir and the international community. |
