Firing halted, uneasy calm prevails at Indo-Pak border

Development comes a day after Prime minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley issued the strongest message to the neighbouring country.

After 9 days of heavy exchange of small arms and mortar shelling, firing along the International border de-escalated to a great extent, army said on Friday.

No further incidents of ceasefire violations from Pak occupied Kashmir (POK) were reported.

Indian armed forces as a result also reported to restrain themselves by putting “reply” gun-fire on hold.

According to Indian Army sources, barring a 20-minute fire in Kathua district, the International Border on Friday witnessed de-escalation along its 192-km stretch.

It has been learnt that, there was no firing along the IB in Jammu and Samba districts, which has been the centre of target of Pakistan for past nine days.

“There was no cross-border firing during the intervening night of October 9 and 10 along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts,” a BSF spokesman is quoted by media as saying on Friday.

He however admitted that there was firing by Pakistan along the IB in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district for 20 minutes from 8 p.m. to 8.20 p.m. involving four BSF Border Out Posts (BoP).

Apart from that incident, there were no reports of ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

Sources in the BSF told media that it’s too early to call it "de-escalation".

According to defence experts in the capital, Pakistan "stood down" after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Mininter Arun Jaitley on Thursday issued the strongest message to Pakistan.

While campaigning for upcoming elections in Maharashtra’s Baramati, Modi remarked, when the borders are tense, it is the soldiers, not the politicians who should do the talking.

PM said, "During times of attrition on the border, the statements of politicians are immaterial. For it is a time when "the bullets of soldiers fly and the screams of the enemy is audible. I congratulate the soldiers that they have given a demonstration of their capability".

Earlier he stated that Government has given Armed Forces “free hand” to respond to Pak aggression.

He is learnt to have instructed Armed forces to do what is necessary.

Apart from Modi, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley also issued stern message to India’s neighbor saying Pakistan will not be able to bear the cost of this "adventurism" if it persists with such "unprovoked" aggression.

"If Pakistan persists with this adventurism, our forces will make the cost of this adventurism unafforable," Jaitley is reported to have told reporters.

The IB has witnessed heavy firing for nine days that has left eight persons dead and injured nearly 60 people, including 13 armed personnel.

Besides over 30,000 people have fled from their border homes leaving 113 hamlets deserted along the IB.

Most villages along the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts have been deserted since the shelling started on October 6.

The violence was regarded among the worst, since both countries agreed to a ceasefire along the Line of Control in 2003.

The tension escalated when Pakistan Army and Pak Rangers started “unprovoked” firing on Oct 1 targeting Indian posts and border hamlets.

Pakistan Targeted 60 Indian Posts and three dozen villages near the 200-km International Border in Jammu and Kashmir with heavy mortar shelling and firing.

India retaliated by targeting 73 Pak posts with mortar shells and small arms.

Intelligence sources said India hit back by pounding 37 Pakistani posts that left about 15 dead and damaged several Pakistan Rangers outposts.

No loss of life was reported from Thursday.

According to media reports, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to meet top military officers later on Friday to discuss the border violence.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said on Thursday that, "We don't want to convert border tension between two nuclear neighbors into confrontation".

The development came after India tried to pressurize Pakistan through diplomatic channels.

New Delhi on Thursday morning lodged a strong protest with Islamabad after summoning Pak Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi Mansoor Ahmed Khan to South Block, which houses External Affairs Ministry.

He was told that “unprovoked firing from across the border that also continues to target civilians” must stop.

Army sources said, nearly 700 militants are waiting to cross into the Kashmir Valley from across the border.

Citing this report, Defence Minister said, "Firing is a cover for infiltration."

He said, "There is a connection between firing and infiltration. It is also an effort by Pakistan to precipitate tension where none existed."