Pakistan has violated ceasefire 1140 times since 2013

Pakistan has violated the ceasefire as many as 1,140 times since 2013, with the focus of its firing being concentrated more across the settled International Boundary (IB) than the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha, said while there were 347 ceasefire violations in 2013, the figure jumped to 583 in 2014. Till June 30 this year, 199 such violations have been recorded. Of the 199, only around 25 of them were across the LoC, which is manned by the Army, with the rest being along the BSF-guarded IB.

“Diplomatically, India has repeatedly emphasised, including at the highest level, the need for Pakistan to uphold the sanctity of the LoC and abide by the ceasefire commitment of 2003 along the IB and LoC,” said Parrikar.

After the NSA-level talks next month, the two countries are also slated to hold meetings between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers chiefs as well as the two DGMOs to discuss de-escalatory mechanisms along the borders.

When the two DGMOs had last met face-to-face at the Wagah-Attari border in December 2013, it had led to a noticeable drop in ceasefire violations and infiltration bids, which often go together since the Pakistan Army gives “covering fire” to help militants sneak into India. But it had proved to be quite short-lived, with ceasefire violations once jumping to as high as 50 along the LoC in August last year.