E-Paper
No let-up in ceasefire violations along LoC amid pandemic
Government data reviewed by Hindustan Times shows that the Pakistan army has violated the ceasefire 247 times this month (up to April 22), taking the count of border violations to 1,391 this year so far.
Amid the swift spread of the coronavirus disease across the globe, the Pakistan army continues to violate the ceasefire on the Line of Control in an effort to help terrorists sneak into Jammu and Kashmir, two senior officials said on condition of anonymity.
Government data reviewed by Hindustan Times shows that the Pakistan army has violated the ceasefire 247 times this month (up to April 22), taking the count of border violations to 1,391 this year so far. Pakistan violated the ceasefire 234 times in April 2019 and 176 times in April 2018.
The total number of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army stood at 3,168 in 2019 and 1,629 in 2018.
During a visit to Kashmir last week, Army chief General MM Naravane condemned the relentless ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the LoC, saying the whole world is battling the coronavirus pandemic but the neighbouring country has not stopped stirring trouble at the border.
The Indian Army on Monday came out with a fresh set of instructions for soldiers who have completed their leave and temporary duties, and are required to rejoin their units on priority. According to the instructions, soldiers who have been accorded top priority for rejoining duty include all ranks of the operationally-critical Northern Command. The Udhampur-based Northern command is the nerve-centre for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and is also responsible for guarding the LoC.
Pakistan has also violated the ceasefire more times in January-March this year compared to the corresponding periods of the previous two years.
Pakistan violated the ceasefire 1,144 times between January and March, with the highest number of violations (411) being recorded last month when Covid-19 cases started peaking globally.
Figures show that the Pakistan army violated the cease-fire 685 times in 2019 and 627 times in 2018 in the same period.
The army has been dealing with an increase in infiltration attempts by Pakistan-backed terrorists looking to stir trouble in J&K since the Centre’s move revoking the special status of the region on August 5, 2019. Experts said Pakistan was trying its best to reinvigorate the terror machinery in J&K to destabilise the border region.
The army on April 10 targeted Pakistani positions across the LoC in Kashmir’s Keran sector with artillery guns and caused severe damage to posts, terror launch pads and an ammunition dump in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The assault was launched in response to an unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistani army days after five commandos belonging to an elite army Special Forces (SF) unit were killed in action along the LoC in the same sector on April 5 during an intense close-quarters battle with an equal number of terrorist infiltrators who were all killed.
As reported by Hindustan Times on April 10, Pakistan-based groups have activated their launch pads along the LoC in Kashmir and the International Border (IB) in Jammu in an attempt to send across more than 200 terrorists at a time when the Indian security forces are busy helping the region’s civil administration fight the Covid-19 outbreak.
