A woman was killed and a jawan injured as the Pakistani army shelled civilian areas and forward posts in six sectors along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts on Thursday, drawing heavy retaliation from the Indian forces, an official said.
This is the seventh consecutive day that Pakistan has targeted forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC).
"The Pakistan army continuously resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC at about 1500 hours with heavy mortar shelling and small arms fire in Sunderbani, Mankote, Khari Karmara, Degwar Sectors in J&K," a defence spokesperson said.
The firing had started around 6 am, he added.
"At about 1415 hours, Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing of small arms along the LoC at Nowshera sector in Rajouri," the official said.
There was another round of firing from across the border around 1 pm along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector, he said, adding, "The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively."
In the Chajjala area of Mendhar, one woman died after sustaining critical injuries from a mortar shell, officials said.
An army jawan was injured in the shelling and was undergoing treatment, they added.
Earlier at about 6 am, the Pakistan army had resorted to shelling and small arms fire in the Krishna Ghati sector, the spokesperson said.
In view of the prevailing situation, authorities have ordered a temporary closure of educational institutions located within five kilometres of the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch.
People living close to the border have been asked to stay indoors.
The year 2018 had witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations -- 2,936 -- by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border.
Pakistan continues to violate the ceasefire understanding of 2003 despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the agreement during flag meetings between the border guarding forces of the two nations, the official said.
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Pakistan Army says troops on high alert along LoC
The Pakistan Army said on Thursday that its troops are on high alert along the LoC with all required safeguards to thwart any 'Indian aggression' amidst tense ties with New Delhi.
"Due to the prevailing environment, the Pakistan Army troops are on high alert along the Line of Control (LoC) with all required safeguards along the Eastern Border in place to thwart any Indian aggression," army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a statement.
He said that the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy continued to stay fully alert.
"During the last 48 hours, Indian troops resorted to increased ceasefire violations in Kotli, Khuiratta and Tatta Pani sectors along the LoC," Ghafoor said.
Pakistan Armed Forces are in a state of readiness for all eventualities, the spokesperson added.
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