After abrogation, LoC sees 11 truce violations daily

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 8

Since the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, the Pakistan army, on an average, has been indulging in 11 ceasefire violations daily along the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The cross-border firing that is classified separately as it entails repeated firing using high-calibre weapons and at targeted locations has been going on almost on a daily basis since August 5.

The data presented in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Defence lists the period from August 5, 2019 to February 23, 2020. This works out to be 202 days, in which there have been 2,232 ceasefire violations. On an average, this is 11 violations every day.

Of the 2,232 incidents, 1,586 incidents of ceasefire violations occurred between August 5 and December 31 in 2019. Another 646 incidents of ceasefire violation occurred between January 1 and February 23 this year. There have been 132 and 41 cases, respectively, of cross-border firing during same period.

A ceasefire violation entails firing along the LoC or the International Border and is generally localised. Even a couple of bullets fired are a truce violation. India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire in November 2003, but it is often violated and has seen a spurt.

In 2018, there were 1,629 violations while 2017 saw 860 violations.

India shares a 749-long LoC with Pakistan and it mostly runs through J&K and some 170 km are now in the newly carved UT of Ladakh. The UT of J&K has 198-km International Border with Pakistan.

There have been 27 encounters with terrorists in the UT of J&K between August 5, 2019, and February 23, 2020.

“Appropriate retaliation to the ceasefire violations, as required, has been carried out by the Indian Army,” the Ministry of defence has said.

All violations of ceasefire are taken up with the Pakistan authorities at the appropriate level through the established mechanism of hotlines, flag meetings, Directorate Generals of Military Operations talks as well as the diplomatic channels between the two countries, the Ministry said.

The threat assessment and analysis of the past incidents is done and suitable drills and procedures are adopted to counter threats.

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