Pakistan opens fire in Jammu, offers flag meeting

 Pakistani troops opened unprovoked firing at Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district Friday, a defence spokesman said. Pakistan later offered to hold a flag meeting between border commanders to defuse tensions.

"Pakistan Army started unprovoked firing at our positions using small arms and automatics at Shahpur area of Poonch sector. The firing started at 9.15 a.m. Our troops have responded with weapons of equal calibre," defence spokesman Col. Manish Mehta told IANS in Jammu.

The Pakistan offer for a flag meeting at the Sector Commanders level was made by their Director General of Military Operations to his Indian counterpart, a Pakistani source told IANS in New Delhi.

"An offer for holding a flag meeting at the sector commanders level in Poonch has been made by the DGMO. We are awaiting a response," the Pakistani official added.

The official said the offer from the Pakistani side was in keeping with the Dec 24, 2013, meeting between their DGMOs, during which they "reiterated the resolve and commitment" of both sides to continue efforts for ensuring ceasefire, peace and tranquility on the Line of Control.

India has on several occasions accused Pakistan of violating the 2003 bilateral ceasefire.- IANS