NEW DELHI: In yet another ceasefire violation across the LoC, Pakistan on Thursday fired at Indian posts in the Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir , the scene of Tuesday's brutal killing of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani army troops.

Pakistan said it lost one soldier in the exchange of fire, while claiming that the provocation took place from Indian side which was rejected by Army Headquarters here.

The Pakistani troops' firing started in the Battal area in Poonch sector at 1630 hours after which Indian troops gave a measured response. The firing ceased at 1810 hours, Army headquarters said here.

The firing took place in the area guarded by the 13 Rajputana Rifles, whose two soldiers Lance Naiks Sudhakar Singh and Hemraj were killed and their bodies were mutilated by Pakistani troops, it said.

The unit deployed in the area is known as the Barasingha battalion.

In Islamabad, Pakistan army claimed in a statement that Indian troops had started firing in which one of its soldiers was killed.

The Army here rejected the allegation of starting the firing.

India also dismissed Pakistan's allegations that its Army transgressed the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector on Sunday.

In fact, Pakistan had carried out a ceasefire violation on the night of January 5-6 and "controlled retaliation" was carried out by the Indian Army on January 6, an Army press release said on Thursday.

"No LoC transgression has been resorted to by the Indian Army in Uri Sector on January 6 as alleged," it said.

Pak army refuses to open gates for cross-LoC trade

The Pakistani army on Thursday refused to allow trucks from India carrying goods at cross-Line of Control trade point in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, in the backdrop of tension in bilateral relations following ceasefire violations which killed 2 Indian troops.

25 trucks carrying goods, mostly vegetables, from India were not allowed to cross the LoC and enter Pakistan-occupied Kashmir at Chakan-Da-Bagh, officials of the trade facilitation center (TFC) at Poonch said.

As the trucks carrying goods for PoK traders reached Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point to enter the trade center at Rawalakote (POK) after clearance at TFC, the Pakistan army did not open the gates and conveyed this to Indian Army authorities at the point.

With the stranding of 25 trucks, a total of 65 trucks are now lined up waiting to move into POK from Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point. Most of these trucks are carrying perishable goods, particularly vegetables.

This is the second time LoC trade has come a halt after the Pakistan Army refused to open the gates during the past 8 months.

LoC trade had come to a halt on June 14 last year due to closure of gates at Chakan-da-Bagh border point following heavy LoC firing, shelling and ceasefire violations since June 11 last year in which 2 Indian jawans were killed and 4 injured.

