The militaries of India and Pakistan said in a rare joint statement on Thursday that they have agreed to observe a ceasefire along the disputed border in Kashmir, having exchanged fire hundreds of times in recent months.
“Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight 24/25 Feb 2021,” the joint statement said. The nuclear-armed neighbours had signed a ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kashmir region in 2003, but the truce frayed in recent years, leading to mounting casualties among villagers living close to the de facto border.
Border residents of the Jammu region living on the LoC and international border welcomed the agreement between the two nations with the hope that they can live their normal lives now after suffering a lot due to ceasefire violations in the past two years. Since the start of the year, India had counted 591 violations by Pakistan.
between t h e t w o countries after a meeting between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan. “In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders, the two DGMOs agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence,” the statement said. “We are cautiously optimistic that the violence levels and tensions along the LoC will come down,” an Indian official in New Delhi said, adding that India’s military would maintain deployments along the LoC to prevent infiltration and continue counterinsurgency operations in the Kashmir valley.
India also reiterated that its position on key issues with Pakistan remains unchanged. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “On relations with Pakistan we expressed earlier that India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. We have always maintained we want to address issues if any in a peaceful and bilateral manner. On key issues our position remains unchanged. I don’t think I need to reiterate.” India has a stated position that talks with Pakistan cannot take place until it stops supporting terrorists and infiltration.
Meanwhile mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir also welcomed the latest agreement for the end to the ceasefire violations along the border. Both the National Conference and PDP welcomed the agreement and expressed hope that the two countries will also hold dialogue in future to end the acrimony. “We welcome it and hope that the statement will be followed in letter & spirit. JKNC has always been a strong supporter of the ceasefire along the LoC,” the National Conference in a statement said. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter and said, “A big & welcome development that India & Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire along the LoC.
Dialogue is the only way forward if both countries want to stop the unending cycle of violence & bloodshed across the borders and J&K”. Informed sources said India sees the ceasefire as a positive move but will test and verify. New Delhi will watch closely whether crossborder acts of terrorism have really come down after the ceasefire. Sources say if the commitment is kept, it will augur well for the people living along LoC who have been facing an incessant attack of rockets and mortar shells during ceasefire violations.
With agency inputs
Besides Jammu, border residents in the Kashmir valley, especially in Uri, Karnah and Kupwara sectors, also expressed happiness to know that they will now be safe and not face “death and destruction”. “We are happy about this development as we lost a lot of our villagers and many of our villagers got injured,” said Maqsood Khatana from Uri as the sector recently saw several civilians killed and many injured in cross-border firing by Pakistan. The joint statement said that the agreement was reached between t h e t w o countries after a meeting between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan. “In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders, the two DGMOs agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence,” the statement said. “We are cautiously optimistic that the violence levels and tensions along the LoC will come down,” an Indian official in New Delhi said, adding that India’s military would maintain deployments along the LoC to prevent infiltration and continue counterinsurgency operations in the Kashmir valley.
India also reiterated that its position on key issues with Pakistan remains unchanged. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “On relations with Pakistan we expressed earlier that India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. We have always maintained we want to address issues if any in a peaceful and bilateral manner. On key issues our position remains unchanged. I don’t think I need to reiterate.” India has a stated position that talks with Pakistan cannot take place until it stops supporting terrorists and infiltration.
Meanwhile mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir also welcomed the latest agreement for the end to the ceasefire violations along the border. Both the National Conference and PDP welcomed the agreement and expressed hope that the two countries will also hold dialogue in future to end the acrimony. “We welcome it and hope that the statement will be followed in letter & spirit. JKNC has always been a strong supporter of the ceasefire along the LoC,” the National Conference in a statement said. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter and said, “A big & welcome development that India & Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire along the LoC.
Dialogue is the only way forward if both countries want to stop the unending cycle of violence & bloodshed across the borders and J&K”. Informed sources said India sees the ceasefire as a positive move but will test and verify. New Delhi will watch closely whether crossborder acts of terrorism have really come down after the ceasefire. Sources say if the commitment is kept, it will augur well for the people living along LoC who have been facing an incessant attack of rockets and mortar shells during ceasefire violations.
With agency inputs