LoC flare-up: India, Pak DGMOs speak over hotline

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

India’s Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) on Monday made it clear to his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army was sincere in maintaining peace along the Line of Control (LoC) as long Pakistan reciprocated the same. However, the Indian Army will retaliate to any firing from across the LoC.

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The 749-km-long LoC divides the state of Jammu and Kashmir between the two countries, with Pakistan illegally occupying the western flank.

The DGMO Lt Gen AK Bhatt spoke to his Pakistani counterpart DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza over the telephonic hotline. “The Indian Army is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC provided there was reciprocity”. This piece of advice from Lt Gen Bhatt had come after he had told his counterpart that “the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire along the LoC”.

All violations of the November 2003 agreed upon ceasefire pact were initiated by the Pakistani Army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them, the Indian DGMO told his counterpart, Indian Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said on Monday.

Apart from these, firing by Indian troops was initiated against armed intruders when attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pakistani Army posts.

The trend of infiltration from Pakistan along the LoC continued with active support of Pakistani Army forward posts impacting peace and tranquillity along the LoC and also the internal security situation.

This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani Army troops, the Indian DGMO said.

Pakistan had requested for the DGMO-level telephonic talks. Otherwise, officials—not necessarily the DGMO—from both the sides speak to each other every Tuesday. 

During the talks, the Pakistani DGMO raised the issues of targeting of Pakistani Army troops which resulted in the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan occupied Kashmir opposite Indian Keren sector in Kupwara district of J&K.