For the sixth consecutive night, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) at multiple locations across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
On the intervening night of April 29 and 30, Pakistani troops opened fire in the Pargwal sector along the IB in Jammu district. Simultaneously, Pakistani soldiers also initiated firing along the LoC in Baramulla district of the Kashmir Valley. Previously, Pakistani troops had been targeting only the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
Reports indicated that the firing, which began with small arms, was reported from the Pargwal sector along the IB in Jammu district, and from the Sunderbani and Naushera sectors in Rajouri district.
"On the night of April 29–30, Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small-arms fire across the Line of Control opposite the Naushera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor sectors in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir," said Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal.
Indian Army troops responded swiftly and proportionately, the spokesperson added. "Further to the previous update about the night of April 29–30, unprovoked small-arms firing by the Pakistan Army was also reported from their posts across the Line of Control in Baramulla and Kupwara districts, as well as across the International Border in the Pargwal sector."
As previously reported, the firing initially began in north Kashmir's Kupwara and Baramulla districts before spreading to the Poonch and Akhnoor sectors. It later escalated to the Sunderbani and Naushera sectors in Rajouri district, followed by firing along the IB in Jammu's Pargwal sector.
Border farmers complete harvesting
Farmers living along the IB and LoC have already completed harvesting their crops. In view of the prevailing tension, they first harvested crops beyond the fence along the IB and LoC. Later, harvesting machines were deployed to finish the task. Most farmers have safely transported their grain back home.
India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, comprising the International Border (approximately 2,400 km from Gujarat to Akhnoor in Jammu), the 740-km-long LoC from Jammu to Leh, and the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in the Siachen region.
