Amir Karim Tantray & Arteev Sharma

Three huge ‘explosions’ were heard from the Pakistani side on the International Border (IB) opposite the Ramgarh sector, which created panic among the dwellers.

Reliable sources told The Tribune that it was a ‘sonic boom’ sound during a drill being conducted by two jets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in the Sialkot sector. “The PAF is involved in this drill for the past couple of days and it was being carried opposite the Chamliyal area of Ramgarh sector and around 10 to 15 km inside the Pakistani side. Immediately after the incident, the Indian Air Force (IAF), Army and the BSF got alert and kept a close watch on the movement on the Pakistani side,” a source said.

The BSF officers held a meeting in New Delhi and were in touch with those present in Jammu. Similarly, the IAF was also alerted and was told to keep a watch on the PAF movement.

Since the Pulwama attack, bilateral ties between India and Pakistan have deteriorated.

Villagers on this side of the IB, who heard the blast-like sounds, described it an “unusual activity”, especially against the backdrop of mounting tension between the two neighbouring countries.

“We heard three large and deafening blast-like sounds that emanated from the other side of the border. We don’t know exactly what happened on the Pakistan side but panic and fear has gripped all border villages,” a Chamliyal village resident said.

A police official posted in the village said, “Immediately after we heard the sounds, we contacted the BSF officials posted at the border outpost but they too were clueless about what happened on the other side of the IB.”

Pak asks residents to stay inside houses

Jammu: After vacating villages along the International Border (IB), Pakistan has issued an advisory to its inhabitants residing in villages close to the Line of Control (LoC) to take precautionary measures in view of the prevailing tense situation. The advisory has been issued to the administrators of Neelam, Jhelum, Rawalkot, Haweli, Kotli and Bhimber areas of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). 

Courtesy:The Tribune,feb22,2019