Arrested soldier handed over to Pakistan

Poonch, July 13 (ANI): A Pakistani soldier, who was arrested near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch District, has been handed over to Islamabad under the present ceasefire agreement.

The soldier, identified as Arif Ali, was arrested by Indian soldiers when he crossed over to the Indian side in the Kerni area of Poonch sector in the Jammu region yesterday morning.

Soldiers seized two SIM cards from the soldier, who belonged to the 25 Frontier Force of the Pakistani Army. No weapons were, however, found in his possession.

Certain media reports earlier quoted sources as saying that the Pakistani soldier had told his interrogators that he had defected to India to seek asylum since there was a lack of basic amenities in Pakistan. (ANI)