Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 12: India and Pakistan today decided to carry forward the peace along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan by addressing issues of mutual concerns on priority in the future. The two sides decided to adhere to the peace process initiated between Brigade Commander level meeting at Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch district on September 21 last year.
A decision to this effect was taken at Battalion Commander level flag meeting held at Chakan-Da-Bagh today, which lasted more than 30 minutes. The meeting came just two days after Pakistan violated ceasefire at Shahpur sector along the LoC in Poonch district for the first time after September 21 meeting, causing damage to six houses and an Alto car.
The Indian delegation was led by Col AD Waigh and comprised among others Lt Col Sandeep Kumar and Varun Kumar. Pakistan side was headed by Lt Col Sadiqui and was joined by Lt Col Hussain.
Official sources told the Excelsior that both the sides in lengthy flag meeting at Chakan-Da-Bagh, the cross-LoC point on Poonch-Rawlakote route, reaffirmed their faith in ensuring everlasting peace and tranquility on the LoC by addressing the issues of mutual concerns on priority in future.
“The two Armies agreed to the importance of exercising restraint along the LoC and keep the channels of communication like hotline and flag meetings alive, which was established reconciliation mechanism between India and Pakistan along the LoC,” sources said.
Describing the meeting as positive, sources said, the Colonel ranked officers from both India and Pakistan led the respective delegation of their countries and acknowledged each other’s efforts in maintaining peace and tranquility on the LoC in future like the previous six months during which no major shelling or firing was reported on the LoC in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
“There was general consensus between the two Armies that peace should prevail along the LoC, which was in the interest of the two countries as well as people living along the LoC on both the sides as they suffer badly due to mortar shelling and firing like the one witnessed on the intervening night of April 9 and 10,” sources said.
Noting that the flag meeting was held in very cordial atmosphere and ended on positive notes, sources pointed out that the two sides took very significant decisions like maintaining peace and tranquility, exercising restraint along the LoC, sticking to the ceasefire agreement of 2003 and speaking on hotline or, if required, through flag meeting to discuss any issues of mutual concerns.
On the intervening night of April 9 and 10, Pakistan army had violated ceasefire, drawing an equal response from the Indian side, along LoC in Shahpur sector, about 25 kilometers from Poonch district. Six houses and an Alto car were damaged on the Indian side.
Pakistan side had also suffered damage in retaliatory firing by the Indian side.
The ceasefire violation from Pakistan side had come nearly six months after Brigade Commander level flag meeting on September 21 last year at Chakan-Da-Bagh in which the two sides had decided to maintain peace on the LoC after several days of shelling and firing.
The ceasefire violation by Pakistan army had come barely four days after Pakistan High Commissioner in India, Abdul Basit gave a statement in New Delhi announcing suspension of peace process between India and Pakistan.
The civilian population putting up along the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri was left panicky after the ceasefire violation as they had started working in their fields right up to permitted area of the LoC during six months truce.
In September, 2015, Pakistan army had violated ceasefire 25 times killing ASI Sohan Singh in Manjakote sector. In August, there was heavy shelling and firing on the LoC and on August 15 when India was celebrating Independence Day, eight civilians were killed and several others injured in single day at Balakote sector along the LoC in Poonch district. Pakistan army had then used 120mm, 82mm and 61mm mortar shells besides rockets and other heavy fire arms on the civil population along the LoC.
Two Brigade Commander level meetings were held between India and Pakistan at Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch sector on September 4 and September 21.
It was after September 21 meeting between Brigadier HS Sareen of India and Brigadier Osman of Pakistan that both sides had agreed to maintain peace and tranquility all along the LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and since then no shelling and firing was reported in any part of the two districts.
“Shahpur’s ceasefire violation was the first major such incident of 2016,” sources said.
Last year, 16 civilians were killed and 71 others injured in 405 incidents of cross-border firing by Pakistan, they said.
While 253 incidents of ceasefire violations took place along the International Border (IB), 152 incidents were reported along the LoC.
Around 8,000 people were temporarily affected due to the ceasefire violations and had to be shifted to safer locations.
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