M A I N   N E W S

2 porters killed, two jawans hurt in Pak firing

Srinagar, June 20
Five days ahead of Home Minister P Chidambaram's visit to Islamabad, Pakistani troops today violated the seven-year-old ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) yet again, firing at Indian positions at Machhil sector in Jammu and Kashmir killing two porters and injuring two jawans.

The Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian posts and positions in Machhil sector, 140 km from here, around 7.30 am without any provocation, defence spokesman Lt Col JS Brar said.

Two porters were killed on the spot and two jawans injured in the firing, he said. In 2003, India and Pakistan had announced a ceasefire on the LoC. New Delhi has accused Pakistan of violating the ceasefire on several occasions.

In May alone this year, there have been five ceasefire violations. On May 23, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing at six Indian posts on the LoC in Poonch sector.

Today's incident comes ahead of Chidambaram's visit to Pakistan on June 25 for the SAARC Interior Ministers' conference and before the June 24 talks between Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir also in Islamabad. — PTI