Amid an increase in cross-border firing, sniper assaults, and IED explosions along the Line of Control (LoC), India and Pakistan held a flag meeting at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch district on Friday.
A defense source confirmed that the Indian team, headed by a brigadier, engaged in talks with Pakistani officials at the Poonch-Rawalkote meeting location on the LoC. “The Indian team will explicitly inform the Pakistani officers to refrain from disrupting peace on the LoC by resorting to sniper fire, IED explosions, and attempts to infiltrate terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir,” the source indicated. He further stressed, “While India aspires for peace at the borders, if Pakistan persists with its provocations, the Indian Army maintains the right to respond. ”
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Recent Attacks Heighten Security Concerns
The meeting follows a rise in hostilities, including an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in the Akhnoor sector on February 11 that resulted in the deaths of two Indian Army members, including Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi. The People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a recognized offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammad, subsequently took responsibility for the assault in a video shared on social media.
Moreover, two soldiers were injured in cross-border firing incidents in Rajouri and Poonch districts, while another suffered injuries in a landmine explosion last week. The Indian Army’s retaliation to these aggressions reportedly caused “heavy casualties” on the Pakistani side.
Ceasefire Violations After Years of Stability
Cross-border ceasefire violations have been comparatively rare since India and Pakistan reaffirmed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021. However, the recent spike in assaults has elicited concerns.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reassured the public that the army is responding effectively. “Clear instructions have been given to the security forces to intensify efforts to eliminate terrorism at all costs,” he stated earlier this week.
Following the fatalities of Captain Bakshi and Naik Mukesh Singh Manhas in the Akhnoor IED blast, Sinha led high-level security review meetings in Srinagar and Jammu on February 12 and 13 with senior officials. It is noteworthy that former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was excluded from these discussions.
India’s Retaliation to Border Provocations
On February 13, just a day after Pakistan breached the ceasefire in the Bhimber Gali sector, India reacted vigorously, allegedly inflicting heavy losses on the Pakistani army in the Krishna Ghati sector.
An intelligence official disclosed that Pakistan has been actively striving to destabilize peace along the LoC through cross-border firing, targeted sniper assaults, and IED explosions directed at Indian forces.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, General Officer Commanding of the White Knight Corps, recently assessed “hostile activities” along the LoC in Rajouri district, reaffirming India’s commitment to border security.
