"Pakistan firing at LoC to divert attention of Indian Army...": Defence expert

Defence Expert DS Dhillon on Friday said that firing initiated by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) is a tactic of the neighbouring country to divert the attention of the Indian army with a likely objective of evacuating its own men.

"Whenever there is firing on LoC, it has a purpose. Either the PakistArmy wants to send in some men actually attack certain Indian posts. Probable pressure is high at this time, and the men who came from there may have reached the border area, and this action may have been taken to evacuate them back.... The firing is done to divert the attention of the Indian army so that some men can be evacuated from here. This may be because now the Indian Army and the government are very active, and these men don't have a place to hide," Dhillon told ANI.

Earlier today, Pakistan Army troops opened fire at some places along the Line of Control (LoC), prompting an immediate retaliation from the Indian Army, officials said.

"Small arms firing at some places on the Line of Control initiated by the Pakistan Army. Effectively responded to by the Indian Army. No casualties," Indian Army officials said.

Earlier on April 22, terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen while leaving several others injured.

The Indian Army is on a high alert, launching several search operations to neutralise the terrorists following the attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 people were killed.

Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi has reached Udhampur to review the security situation at the Northern Command headquarters there on Friday.

According to Army officials, the chief is being briefed on the security situation along the LoC in Poonch-Rajouri districts and other areas South of the Pir Panjal mountain ranges.

Earlier today, General Dwivedi visited Srinagar and reviewed the security situation in the Union Territory. Upon his arrival, the 15 Corps Commander briefed him about the ongoing security situation, and he met with senior Army commanders deployed in the Kashmir Valley, along with officials from other security agencies.