BSF lodges protest over ceasefire violation by Pak Rangers

Jammu, May 16 (PTI) Border Security Force (BSF) has
lodged a strong protest with Pakistani troops at a flag
meeting over ceasefire violations during the past two days by
firing on outposts along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu sector,
in which a jawan was killed.
"BSF authorities lodged a strong protest with Pak Rangers
over the two incidents of ceasefire violations and firing on
Indian posts during the past two days," a senior BSF officer
said.
The protest was lodged at a commandant-level flag meeting
held for nearly an hour at Octerio border outpost (BOP) in
Suchetgarh sub-sector here last evening.
In the two recent ceasefire violations, Pakistani troops
fired on Indian positions in Nikowal and Budhwar forward belts
in R S Pura sub-sector along the International Border in Jammu
sector on May 14 and 15, in which a BSF jawan was killed.
In the strong-worded protest, BSF authorities asked their
Pakistani counterparts to honour the ceasefire agreement and
not resort to unprovoked firing.
The BSF officials told them that troops on this side
would also retaliate if Pak Rangers fire on their positions.
The Pakistani rangers, however, expressed ignorance over
the incidents of firing.
Pakistani troops yesterday violated ceasefire and opened
unprovoked firing on Indian BOPs in Nikowal belt of R S Pura
sub-sector which lasted over 45 minutes.
The BSF, border guarding force of India, returned the
fire and there were no casualties on the Indian side, an
official said.
On Saturday night, Pakistani snipers fired on a BSF
patrol in Budhwar area in Suchetgarh sub-sector along the IB,
45-km from here, killing a jawan.
There have been five instances of truce violation by
Pakistani soldiers in less than a month.
On May 5, Pakistani troops fired rockets and opened
indiscriminate firing on Indian positions in Poonch sector
along the Line of Control (LoC).
Two more such incidents took place in Poonch on April 22
and 24.