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| No let up in Pak shelling on IB; all 63 BoPs, 130 hamlets targeted, 12 hurt | | Pak suffers colossal losses in retaliatory action by BSF | |  Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 9: Even as there has been no let up in Pak shelling on the 192-km International Border (IB) here, India has toughened its stand and told the neighbouring country that there will be no peace talks with it till it stops firing. The IB by and large remained peaceful during the day today but the enemy troops overnight targeted all the 63 border outposts (BoPs) and 130 hamlets, resulting in injuries to at least 12 persons.
BSF IG, Jammu Frontier, Rakesh Sharma said the Pak Rangers overnight fired mortars and bullets, targeting all the 63 Indian BoPs on the 192-km IB from Kathua to Akhnoor. "There was, however, not much loss on our side except for injuries to 2 to 3 BSF personnel and 5 to 6 civilians," he added.
In reply to a question, the IG said they were targeting the civilian areas which showed that there was great frustration on their part. "They should behave like a professional force. We behave in a very professional manner and never fire first. The morale of our troops is very high and we are responding effectively," he asserted.
Asked why the enemy resorts to unprovoked shelling and gunfire, he said they "want to keep J&K disturbed". "Their internal situation is so bad that by resorting to unprovoked firing on the borders, they actually want to divert the attention of their people from real issues," he added.
Asked why they choose October and November for opening fire, he said there were two reasons behind it. "First, they fire to infiltrate, and second, they do so to damage crops," Sharma said and added, "We are fully alert and won't allow militants to infiltrate. Instructions have been given to the jawans to retaliate as the situation arises."
He said to avoid civilian killings, people had been asked not to venture out in the open when shelling and firing were on.
Asked if Pakistan too had suffered losses in retaliatory action by India, he said it was being ascertained.
Reports, however, said Pakistan had suffered colossal losses in India's retaliatory action. Several of their border posts were damaged and many Rangers, besides civilians, killed.
Official sources said the intermittent shelling and firing between the two sides continued during the day till 11 am in Pargwal, Kanachak, Arnia and Ramgarh sub-sectors.
Nearly 30,000 people have been displaced following one of the worst violations of the 2003 ceasefire by Pakistan which has left eight people dead and 80 others, including nine security men, injured since October 1.
People from 130 border hamlets have migrated leaving the hamlets deserted. 57 of these hamlets are in Kathua, 20 in Samba and about 53 in Jammu.
"The Rangers continued with unprovoked mortar shelling and heavy automatic weapon firing on BSF posts all along International Border (IB) since 8.45 pm Wednesday," the sources added.
"Almost the whole stretch of International Border in Samba, Hiranagar, Ramgarh, Arnia, RS Pura, Kanachak and Pargwal (Sub-sectors) was affected in the firing," sources said, adding that a total of 12 persons were wounded. They were hospitalised.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the defence forces were giving a "befitting" reply to the Pakistani onslaught and the country would not bow down before anyone.
"I want to assure the people that we will not let down our country," he said, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that "everything will be fine soon".
"The Prime Minister is keeping a close eye on the situation. He does not need to speak as our Army and BSF personnel are giving a befitting response and we are satisfied with it," Singh said amid questions being raised by the Opposition on Government's response to the ceasefire violations by Pakistan.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said if Pakistan wants peace on the borders, it should stop what it is doing. "Pakistan has to stop this unprovoked firing and shelling. As long as that continues how can there be peace."
Asked about chances of talks between leaders of the two countries, he shot back, "how can you talk when firing is on?"
Underlining that India is a responsible country which is not an aggressor but is responsible for fully protecting its people and land, the Defence Minister said, "Our forces are taking all steps they can to protect our people and land."
Both Modi and Jaitley attacked the opposition leaders who have been criticising the Government over its handling of the border situation.
Targeting Pawar, who had slammed him for holding poll rallies in Maharashtra when there was tension on the border, Modi said, "When you were the Defence Minister, there were problems with Pakistan and China on the border. Did you ever bother to go to the border then?"
"There have been terror strikes in Maharashtra during your tenure...Mumbai, Malegaon, Pune. You could not even reach the terrorists, leave alone catching them. In the spirit of patriotism, we never politicised the issue," he said.
Jaitley also attacked opposition leaders for their "ill-informed" criticism of the Government over ceasefire violations.
"They should atleast know this much as to what extent our forces are going to protect the borders," he said.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has attacked the Government over ceasefire violations and Chinese incursion, questioning its policies.
Jaitley singled out Pawar, saying he should have been more informed as a former Defence Minister.
Asked about the Pak motives behind the escalation, Jaitley said he would not like to speculate but firing could be a cover for infiltration and also an effort by it to precipitate tension where none existed.
"Our forces have only one option which is to respond adequately," the Defence Minister said.
He said many militants have been killed in firing since floods hit Jammu and Kashmir, an evidence of Pakistan's attempts to push more militants into Indian territory.
Asked why Pakistan is doing it now, he said the question should be put to those who are across the border. |
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