No convincing answer by Pak on IB firing: BSF

Hazaribag, November 30

The jury is still out as to why Pakistan recently broke the long agreed-upon ceasefire along the international border (IB) with no “convincing” explanation offered by their officers during flag meetings, BSF director general (DG) Nitin Agrawal said on Thursday.

Agrawal was speaking to reporters during the annual press meet at a Border Security Force camp in the ‘Meru’ area of Hazaribag in Jharkhand on the eve of the 59th Raising Day of the force.

“As far as the reason for ceasefire violation goes we have no clue. We are analysing every aspect. During flag meetings, they (Pakistan Rangers) have been giving XYZ reasons for this (ceasefire violation) but they are not at all convincing. They themselves felt that they are not sounding convincing. They just mentioned something for the sake of it,” the BSF DG said.

Pakistan Rangers in October initiated cross-border shelling, the first major ceasefire violation since 2021, in the Jammu sector that left a BSF jawan and a woman injured. There have been at least six overall violations since the two sides signed a ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.

The BSF DG said the force mounted “effective” retaliatory fire during these ceasefire violations and “there were reports from multiple sources of heavy casualties on the other side.” A senior officer said that at least seven Rangers were estimated to have been killed in the BSF fire.