Amid heightened Indo-Pakistan tension, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat visited the Jammu-based White Knight Corps on Saturday to review the operational preparedness, and exhorted all soldiers to remain vigilant. 
This is the first visit of the Army Chief to the region after India’s air strike at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror facility in Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday in response to the February 14 strike in Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred.

Over the past five days, there has been 51 violations of the ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) by Pakistani forces in Rajouri and Poonch districts, which left four civilians, including three members of a family, dead and 14 others, including eight security personnel, injured.
“The Army Chief and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh visited the White Knight Corps to review the operational preparedness of the forces…in view of the current situation along the LoC and the International Border,” a defence spokesman said.
During the visit, the Army Chief was briefed and updated by White Knight Corps head Lt. Gen Paramjit Singh about the current operational situation, prevailing security scenario and the preparedness of the formation.
The Army Chief was also briefed on the actions taken to meet the challenges of increased ceasefire violations and measures put in place to thwart the nefarious designs of the adversary, the spokesman said.
General Rawat was also briefed on the measures reinforced in other areas of the formation’s responsibility towards ensuring peace and stability.
The Army Chief commended all soldiers for their unwavering dedication to duty, selfless devotion and high standard of professionalism, the spokesman said.
He said the army chief was appreciative of the measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations to minimise the casualties due to ceasefire violations and infiltration bids.
The Army Chief exhorted all soldiers to remain vigilant to counter the nefarious designs of the enemy and anti-national elements, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani troops again violated ceasefire along the Line of Control in Rajouri district, prompting strong and effective retaliation by the Indian Army, a defence spokesman said.
The shelling from across the border started in Nowshera sector at around 12.30 PM, ending over 12-hour-long lull in the border skirmishes which intensified after India’s pre-emptive strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s terror camps at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan on Tuesday.
“Pakistan continues with nefarious designs and at about 1230 hours, again initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing of small arms along the LoC in Nowshera sector,” the spokesman said.
“The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively,” he said, adding that there was no report of any casualty on Indian side in the latest round of firing.
Meanwhile, all educational institutions within five kilometer radius of the LoC remained closed for the fifth day on Saturday as a precautionary measure, officials said.
They said the Indian forces are on high alert and keeping a close vigil along the LoC and the International Border (IB).
“The panic-stricken border residents in some worst-hit villages fled to safer places. There was no report of mass migration and people are staying back at their homes although the district administration had made necessary arrangements in case people are forced to flee their homes,” the official said.
Poonch Deputy Commissioner Rahul Yadav said the health institutions are open and working round-the-clock to meet any eventuality.
“All ambulances have been obilized and moved to the areas close to the LoC with special teams to help people in need,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Army on Saturday said that two of its soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire with Indian forces near the Line of Control.
The soldiers were killed in the Nakiyal Sector of the LoC, it said.
“Reports of casualties of Indian troops and damage to post due to effective response by Pakistan Army,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the army, said in a statement.
Separately, the army claimed that Indian firing was continuing across the LoC, which killed as two civilians and injured two others, including a woman.

Courtesy:State Times,MARCH 03,2019