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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Pakistan, India armies agree to LoC ceasefire starting tonight: ISPR

Director-generals of military operations of Pakistan and India make hotline contact, agree to adhere to past pacts

By Web Desk
February 25, 2021

Pakistan and India have agreed to strictly observe all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control with effect from tonight, the ISPR confirmed in a statement Thursday.

The development comes after the director-generals of military operations of India and Pakistan reviewed the situation along the LoC and all other sectors in a "free, frank and cordial atmosphere," the ISPR said.

ISPR said the two military officials made hotline contact in the interest of achieving "mutually beneficial and sustainable peace".

The statement reiterated that the countries have agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have the propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence.

Existing mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings will be utilised to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding, the statement said.

Contact between the two military officials comes at a time when a number of cases of LoC violations by India have been reported by the Pakistan Army.

ISPR Director-General Major General Babar Iftikhar confirmed the development and said India and Pakistan's DGsMO have been contact over a hotline connection since 1987.

He said an increase in ceasefire violations has been seen from 2014.

He said both DGsMO have agreed that the existing 2003 ceasefire agreement should be implemented in letter and spirit.

More than 13,500 ceasefire violations have taken place since 2003, which has claimed the lives of 310 citizens and injured 1,600, the ISPR DG shared.

He said that there is a great difference in the number ceasefire violations and casualties between 2003-2013 and after 2014.

"92% of the figures shared occurred between 2014 and 2021," he said, adding that 49 women and 26 children have been martyred in the last four years.