Pakistan and India Exchange Fire in Kashmir - Indian Defence Ministry

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Pakistani servicemen shelled on Thursday morning India's positions located across the so-called Line of Control (LoC) separating the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of the disputed Kashmir region, having violated the ceasefire, Lt. Col. Devender Anand, the spokesman for the Indian Defense Ministry said.

"At about 0600 hours [00:30 GMT], Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing small arms along LoC in Krishna Ghati Sector. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. The firing stopped at about 0700 hours," Anand said, as quoted by the Hindustan Times newspaper.

The Indian army returned fire "effectively and strongly", and both sides stopped shooting at around 0700 (IST), he added. Local authorities have shut down all educational institutions within 5 km of the LoC and the international border in Rajouri, Poonch and Samba districts.

#JammuAndKashmir: Pakistan violated ceasefire at 6 am today in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control in Poonch district. Indian Army retaliated effectively. Firing stopped around 7 am https://t.co/3VGaDZxHP5

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2019

READ MORE: Pakistan's Envoy Blames US for 'Emboldening' India Amid Kashmir Escalation

Meanwhile, the Indian government convened an urgent security meeting with the three service chiefs in New Delhi amid the escalation at the Line of Control and talk of another major strike against Pakistan.The first meeting, chaired by Indian defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is underway, while the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will meet at 1830 (Indian Standard Time) on Thursday evening, a senior government official told Sputnik. The meeting has been called against the backdrop of several reports that indicate the movement of troops and equipment on both sides towards the border.

A media report citing Pakistan Foreign Minister SM Qureshi reads that Pakistan feared another attack from India and it can do from the air, sea and land border.

#IndoPak
Pak FM @SMQureshiPTI:
India can attack again. It can do from the air, sea and land border.
We do not want a war with India. But if there is an attack on us, we are ready to defend our country and will give a befitting response in our self defense.@IndiaToday

— Geeta Mohan گیتا موہن गीता मोहन (@Geeta_Mohan) February 28, 2019

Meanwhile, another report based on a document issued by Pakistan said that all hospitals near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan would be reserved for emergency services.

#Update: Just in — Another new Document released from today shows all hospitals near Khyber #pakhtunkhwa in #Pakistan to be reserved for most importance in case of Emergency! pic.twitter.com/IYMxpdjQ4E

— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) February 28, 2019

Unverified videos circulated in social media indicate that troop movement has been underway since yesterday on both sides towards the international border.

#Update: Just in — The Military in #India has been spotted transporting equipment in #Husainabad, Punjab, India. pic.twitter.com/fJpuK2mz8k

— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) February 28, 2019

… meanwhile as filmed in Sialkot — Pakistan appears to send tanks into the direction of the India border. During 1965 Indo-Pak war — arrival of Pakistani troops in Kashmir coincided with an Indian attack in Sialkot area. Today the city is one of Pakistan's most prosperous… pic.twitter.com/wyh6Qoaap2

— Dominic | دومينيك (@domihol) February 27, 2019

​February 27: #Pakistan mass mobilization of tanks and troops towards borderline in #Sialkot near the border of #India and are now at the Sialkot LoC area. per @sotiridi pic.twitter.com/uA56Bw0WKE

— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) February 28, 2019

Some heavy transportation by Indian C-17 near sea Karachi side pic.twitter.com/hiu5Igi75J

— وِنگ کمانڈر چوہدری ساب (@M_Usmann) February 27, 2019

This week, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, as the two countries engaged in an air battle and lost jets in it. It followed an air strike by the Indian Air Force on what it said was a camp of the militant Jaish-e-Mohammad group, considered terrorist by India, which was located on the Pakistani soil across the LoC.

The strike came after a deadly attack by Jaish-e-Mohammad on the Indian paramilitary police force in Kashmir in mid-February. While India has accused Pakistan of supporting the militants and having a "direct hand" in the incident, Pakistan has rejected the allegations, accusing India, in turn, of being responsible for human rights violations taking place in Kashmir.