Amid heightened tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and the India-Pakistan frontier in Punjab following Operation Sindoor, the Punjab Police on Thursday (May 8) has cancelled the leaves of all its officers and employees with immediate effect.
Chandigarh medical staff leaves cancelled
Meanwhile, all medical officers in charge and staff posted at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAAMs) are instructed that any kind of leave stands cancelled with immediate effect until further orders.
"Be prepared for emergency duty 24/7. If called for duty anywhere and at any time, they should immediately report for duty. They should be available 24/7 and answer the calls promptly; otherwise, strict disciplinary action will be initiated," said the Mission Health director, National Health Mission, Chandigarh UT.
BSF cancels leaves of officers
On Wednesday (May 7), the Border Security Force (BSF) has also cancelled leaves of its personnel and bolstered reinforcements along the western border. Senior BSF officials said that a certain percentage of personnel are typically on leave across battalions, but these personnel are now being recalled with immediate effect.
The BSF is responsible for guarding 2,289 km of the India-Pakistan international border, spanning Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. In Jammu and Kashmir, the force is tasked with securing 198 km of the border. Along the LoC, BSF coordinates with the Army in the Pir Panjal mountain ranges.
Schools shut across 6 border districts in Punjab
Amid soaring tension between India and Pakistan, all schools in six border districts of Punjab remained shut on Thursday. The schools were closed in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts. Tensions escalated after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke, in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam.The Tarn Taran deputy commissioner issued an order that said all schools in the district will remain closed from May 8 till 11. In Ferozepur, the authorities ordered closure of schools for the next 72 hours till further orders.
Schools in Fazilka would also remain closed till further notice. India carried out the cross-border military strikes early Wednesday under 'Operation Sindoor', two weeks after the massacre of 26 people, mostly tourists, in Pahalgam.
Following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan has resorted to unprovoked small arms firing across the LoC, to which India has responded amply. The Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday.
Fifteen innocent civilians have been killed and 43 have been injured in artillery firing by the Pakistan Army since yesterday night, which has hit civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar, defence sources said on Wednesday (May 7).
