Rajnath Singh calls meet with top ministers

New Delhi, July 16

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday called an urgent meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to review the overall situation in the wake of fresh ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The high-level meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held at the Home Ministry in the North Block with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in attendance.

Sources said Singh has called for the meeting to undertake a complete review of the emerging situation and in the backdrop of hectic developments on the security and diplomatic fronts on the issue in the last two days.

Border Security Force (BSF) Director General D K Pathak also met Doval at his office earlier in the day and briefed him about the ground security situation along the border, they said.

The latest developments come barely a week after Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met in Russia breaking the deadlock and deciding to re-engage.

The two neighbours, however, were back to a blame game today over ceasefire violations with both sides lodging protests.

While, India lodged protests with Pakistan both in New Delhi and in Islamabad, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Indian High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest over "air space violation" by an alleged Indian "spy" drone near the Line of Control and "ceasefire violation".

The Army early this morning also foiled an infiltration bid along the LoC in Poonch district by a group of militants trying to enter the Indian side, the defence spokesman said.

BSF officials said Pak Rangers have increased the arch of firing and shelling from Kanachak-Akhnoor sector to RS Pura sector now.

“Pakistani Rangers resorted to small arms firing and mortar shelling along IB in RS Pura sector of Jammu district since 0115 hours today,” a BSF officer said.

They targeted five border outposts (BoPs) and some civilian areas in RS Pura and Tawi forward belts, firing 81 mm mortar shells around 0350 hours, he said.

“BSF troops guarding the border line retaliated effectively and the firing exchange continued till 0530 hours today,” he said, adding four persons were injured in Brewa village.

The Pakistan army also violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector, firing at various posts of the Indian Army, an Army officer said.

He said the Pakistan army used small arms and mortar shells to target Indian positions on this side of the LoC.

The Indian side retaliated to the fire.

Due to firing and shelling, fear has returned to haunt the border residents in Jammu who were hopeful that the recently held talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Russia would bring peace dividends for them.

Troops guarding the border also foiled an infiltration attempt in Poonch as they fired upon a group of militants who were trying to sneak in, the defence spokesman said.

There have been nine ceasefire violations during July. A woman, Poli Devi, was killed and six others, including two BSF jawans, were injured yesterday in firing and mortar shelling in Jammu district by Pakistan Rangers.

On July 9, Pakistani troops fired at a forward border post in North Kashmir killing a BSF jawan, an incident that came on the eve of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Russia.

The latest round of firing comes ahead of Modi’s scheduled visit Jammu tomorrow to attend the centenary celebrations of former state Finance Minister Girdhari Lal Dogra. — PTI