No truce violation since February 25

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 9

There has not been a single incident of firing across the Line of Control (LoC) ever since India and Pakistan agreed to uphold the ceasefire along the LoC more than four months ago.

Terrorists, however, tried to infiltrate across the LoC on two occasions this week, but there was no firing by the Pakistani army. A gunfight had ensued with terrorists on both occasions.

2 attempts, no breach

Terrorists tried to infiltrate across the LoC on two occasions this week, but there was no firing by the Pak army. A gunfight had ensued with terrorists on both occasions.

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Usually, firing across the LoC, described as ceasefire violation in military parlance, is done by the Pakistani army to enable terrorists to infiltrate across the 749-km-long LoC or to hit villages on the Indian side.

The two attempts by armed terrorists to infiltrate were the first since February 25 this year when a ceasefire understanding was reached by Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.

The ceasefire was first announced in 2003 and is followed more in the breach, with thousands cases of firing across the LoC by both sides.

India has made it clear that ceasefire agreement does not mean the system to monitor infiltration and counter terrorists at the LoC will stop functioning. Sources say the instructions to commanders on the ground are “don’t drop guard”.

On July 1, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane had said there had been marked changed since the ceasefire had held. It has been noted in security circles that infiltration attempts, made after the Army Chief made his remarks, were not backed by firing from across the LoC.

The Army Chief had warned that there would be forces who would not want peace to prevail. Since the latest ceasefire, all parameters of violence such as terror incidents in the Valley have come down.