Home Minister reviews situation along border with Pakistan

New Delhi: In the wake of continuous firing from across the Line of Control and Intelligence Bureau, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday reviewed the situation along the border with Pakistan and directed BSF to take all possible steps to ensure security of civilians in the areas subjected to shelling.

At a meeting held at his North Block office in Delhi, Singh took stock of the situation along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir with senior officials and asked BSF to ensure security of civilians living along the border.

The Home Minister, who has already asked BSF to give befitting reply to firing from Pakistan, reviewed deployment of the border guarding force and steps being taken to ensure safety and security of personnel protecting forward posts.

Director General of Border Security Force DK Pathak briefed the Home Minister about the situation along the IB, particularly in Jammu region, where Pakistani forces have been continuously firing towards Indian posts and villages.

Pathak is rushing to Jammu on Tuesday and will visit forward posts which are being continuously targeted by Pakistani forces. The BSF chief told reporters later that his troops will not initiate firing but will give befitting reply if attacked.

"We will also not target civilians," he said. Sources said Pakistan has increased its force along the border and special force personnel were deployed to target Indian posts and villages.

Extending ceasefire violations to Samba district, Pakistani troops heavily shelled and fired upon 40 Border Out Posts (BoPs) and 24 villages along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts, leaving three persons injured.

This is the first time that Pakistani Rangers have extended the ceasefire violation to Samba district. Pakistan targeted BoPs and border hamlets along IB in Arnia, RS Pura, Kanachak, Akhnoor sub-sectors of Jammu district and Ramgarh sector of Samba district.

As per official reports, Pakistan also targeted 24 border villages throughout the night till this morning. There have been 21 ceasefire violations in less than a fortnight and 23 in August.