India warns Pak of action if truce violated

A top Indian Army commander on Monday sternly told Pakistan that since all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army, the Indian Army has the right to retaliate appropriately.

This was conveyed by Lt Gen A K Bhatt, the Indian Army’s Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO), to his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza during unscheduled telephonic talks.

Maj Gen Mirza made the request to hold talks to raise the issue of Pakistan army posts being targeted by Indian fire.

The Pakistan DGMO said four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian were killed in the firing in Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), opposite to India’s Keran sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

In his response, Lt Gen A K Bhatt highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately, an army spokesperson said.

Indian troops fired as armed intruders were attempting to infiltrate from the close proximity of Pakistan posts along the 740 km-long  Line of Control (LoC).

The two countries signed an agreement in November 2003 to maintain a ceasefire along the disputed border. However, ceasefire violations have become quite common in recent months.

Lt Gen Bhat made it implicit that the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire but it is sincere in its efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LoC, provided there was reciprocity.

The telephonic conversation between the two military officers took place within hours of the killing of Indian soldier Mudasir Ahmad and seven-year-old Saida in Pakistani shelling.

The Indian DGMO also put across emphatically that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistan forward posts impacting peace and tranquillity along the LoC and India's internal security situation.