Days after ceasefire agreement, Pakistan firing kills 2 BSF soldiers, 3 civilians injured

Just days after agreeing to implement the ceasefire agreement of 2003 in letter and spirit, Pakistan has indulged in cross border firing leading to the death of two soldiers of the Border Security Force.

The incident took at the Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of Sunday. Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing as a result of which two soldiers were killed and three civilians were injured.

With the number of such incidents increasing both India and Pakistan had recently agreed to implement the ceasefire agreement of 2003 in later and spirit. Both sides had agreed that there would be no firing from either sides. This was seen as a Confidence Building Measure and as part of this, a hotline had been established between the Director Generals of Military Operations of both India and Pakistan.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), publicity wing of the Pakistani military, in its statement on the issue said: "Both DGMOs reviewed the prevailing situation along the Line of Control and working boundary and mutually agreed to undertake sincere measures to improve the existing situation ensuring peace and avoidance of hardships to the civilians along the borders."

"The officials also agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit and to ensure that the ceasefire agreement will not be violated by both sides from now on," it added.

The 2003 ceasefire agreement was a result of high-level diplomatic dialogue between the two countries to establish peace following the December 13, 2001 Parliament attacks.

This year alone, in the first five months, there have already been 1,050 ceasefire violations by Pakistan. Thousands of civilians have had to flee their homes, schools and offices, repeatedly since the beginning of the year. Towns after towns and villages are lying empty in several border districts in India.