Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling and firing on Sunday at Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

At about 3.20 a.m., Pakistan initiated the unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mankote sector, Defence Ministry Spokesman Colonel Devender Anand said. "Indian army retaliated befittingly," he added.

Since the beginning of this year, Pakistan has been violating with impunity the bilateral ceasefire agreement signed by the two countries in 1999.

In over 3,190 such ceasefire violations since January 2020, 24 civilians have been killed and over 100 injured.

Lives of thousands of people living in villages close to the LoC have been affected as shells rain from across the LoC and threaten families, homes, cattle besides damaging agricultural fields..