Jammu, Nov 11 (IANS): Pakistan violated ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) twice in a day on Wednesday in three Sectors in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said.

Defence Ministry spokesman Devender Anand said: "After ceasefire violation in the morning today, Pakistan again initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation around 6 pm by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along the LoC in Shahpur, Kirni, and Qasba Sectors. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly."

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

In around 3,200 such LOC ceasefire violations since January 1, 2020, 24 Indian civilians have been killed and over 100 others injured.

Lives of thousands of people living in villages in Indian territory along the LoC have become miserable because of frequent shelling of civilian facilities by Pakistan.