Pak violates ceasefire again
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Mendhar (Poonch), July 18
Even as Indian and Pakistani officials met today to discuss Kashmir centric confidence building measures (CBMs), including "measures to facilitate travel and trade across the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistani army troops on Thursday morning reportedly violated ceasefire again by firing on Puna post on the LoC here in this frontier district. In the cross- firing by the Pakistani troops, an Indian trooper posted at forward post of Puna in this sector was critically injured.

Intelligence sources claimed that Indian trooper hawaldar Pachi Lakhar, of Five Assam Regiment posted at forward post of Puna in this sector was critically injured after receiving bullet injury due to firing by Pak army from across the LoC at around 11.30 am. The critically injured hawaldar was later flown to Command Hospital at Udhampur for specialised treatment.

"The Pakistani troops had beem monitoring the movement of hawaldar Pachi Lakhar since the early morning. At about 11.30 am when he came out of the post to fetch water for himself, the Pakistani troops first fired a volley of bullets at him to restrict his movement and later fired at him with Sniper rifle injuring the trooper critically", a local army source claimed.

Meanwhile, even as the intelligence sources claimed that the soldier was injured in Pakistani firing, defence spokesperson Lt-Col S.D.Goswami maintained that a forward post of the Army came under from militants.

In another alleged ceasefire violation, intelligence sources claimed that Pakistani troops fired at Pir post in Keri sector in Rajouri. However, same sources maintained that no loss of life was reported in the firing.

"Pakistani troops targeted Pir post in Keri sector Rajouri but no loss of life or property was reported in the firing", an intelligence source claimed.