LoC quiet but IHK tense amid massive crackdown

HELD SRINAGAR/MUZAFFARABAD: As Pakistan and India seemingly tone down hostilities that brought the two countries to the brink of another war, a massive crackdown on uprising in the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) region is killing both freedom fighters and security personnel in large numbers.

At the Line of Control (LoC), there was relative calm in the past 24 hours, the armies of the both countries said on Sunday. The exchange of fire in the past few days has killed seven people on the Pakistani side and four on the Indian side, though the release of a downed Indian fighter pilot by Pakistan on Friday night has helped de-escalate tensions.

“By and large, the LoC was calm last night but you never know when it will become active again,” said Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, a minister in Azad Kashmir. “Tension still prevails.” Indian troops on Sunday shot dead two militants after a three-day gunbattle that also killed five security force personnel, taking the total death toll to 25 in the past two weeks.

Residents observed a shutdown in IHK’s Tral area against the detentions. Shops were closed and traffic was off the roads in the area, and a protest march took place. Indian authorities have arrested more than 300 Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists in the past two weeks, accusing the group of supporting attempts to “carve out an Islamic State out of India” by destabilising the government.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the Pakistan armed forces continue to be on alert, and there have been no casualties on the Pakistan side during the past 24 hours. The ISPR, in its update on the situation along the LoC, said that after heavy exchange of fire on the night between March 1 and 2, there was relative calm along the LoC with intermittent firing on Saturday night in Neza Pir, Jandrot and Baghsar sectors.

The Pakistan Army troops responded effectively to Indian fire by targeting Indian posts. There have been no casualties on the Pakistan side during the last 24 hours. Pakistan armed forces continue state of alert and vigilance, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan discussed Pakistan’s emphasis and efforts for preservation of peace in the region and current mode of ties between Pakistan and India with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

According to sources, the latest situation of the region came under discussion between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in a telephonic conversation. The Emir appreciated Pakistan's gesture of releasing the Indian pilot and underscored the importance of immediate de-escalation.

The Foreign Office spokesman, Dr Muhammad Faisal, in a tweet on Sunday said the prime minister spoke to the Emir of Qatar on telephone. He said the Emir offered facilitation for de-escalation.

According to the Qatar News Agency, the two leaders exchanged views on the regional and international developments, especially the differences between Pakistan and India. The Qatari Emir called for calm between the two neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, Qatari Ambassador for Pakistan, Saqr bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri, who has gone to Doha for consultations with his government with regard to the situation in the region, had a number of meetings in Qatar.

Ambassador Saqr Al-Mansouri is expected to return this week and he will have follow-up meetings with the high-ups concerned here.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is widely respected by the leaders of the region and he could also join the international efforts for cooling off between Pakistan and India in the wake of provocative Indian acts and recent incidents that caused tension between the two countries, the sources said.

Imran Khan also held a telephonic discussion with British Prime Minister Theresa May who emphasised the importance of Pakistan taking action against all terrorist groups.

"She welcomed his (Imran Khan’s) commitment to reducing tensions with India," May's office said of the call with Imran Khan.

"The leaders discussed the need to address the causes of this conflict. The prime minister emphasised the importance of Pakistan taking action against all terrorist groups, in support of global efforts to combat terrorism," the statement added.

It has been officially stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan apprised the UK prime minister of Pakistan’s perspective on the developments since the Pulwama incident. The British PM welcomed her counterpart’s decision of releasing the Indian pilot, which has been widely appreciated by the international community. She mentioned the need for both Pakistan and India to de-escalate. Imran Khan invited UK PM to visit Pakistan while May reciprocated the same.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in Geo News transmission 'Jang Nahi Amn' that the Narendra Modi government has put Kashmir on the agendas of international forums - a development always avoided by the previous Indian governments.

Qureshi said that the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Russia, China and Turkey want to deescalate the border tensions between Pakistan and India.

"A small section of the Indian government for their political ambitions desire to put the region in war," he said.

Qureshi said the Saudi foreign minister will visit Pakistan after his visit to India - but added that there are reports emerging that his visit has been postponed till indefinite period.

"The Saudi foreign minister wants to put his role in de-escalating the situation. We are ready for it, but we believe that the resolution of Kashmir is necessary for durable peace in the region," he said.

Meanwhile, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser invoked parliamentary diplomacy to highlight the Kashmir cause and latest Indian atrocities with writing a letter to his counterparts in at least 178 parliaments all over the world, inviting their attention towards the deteriorating situation in South Asia and the recent aggressive acts of New Delhi.

It is important to note that in the aftermath of the recently concluded session of the Parliament where the entire political representatives across party lines passed a resolution about the current situation, the Speaker has also sent the same resolution to all parliaments of the world.

In his letter, the NA speaker informed about the continued violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity by India, which has brought the region to the brink of war and devastation.

Asad Qaiser said Pakistan strongly rejects the Indian purported claims of having targeted any installation and resultant causalities.

“It is completely absurd and is based on a false narrative designed to placate domestic audience. Pakistan, while reserving its right to respond against Indian aggression, kept its calm and warned India to avoid further escalating the situation,” the speaker said.

He wrote that India has also continued unprovoked ceasefire violations at the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in deaths of several innocent civilians.

The NA speaker stated in his letter that the Indian Air Force once again violated Pakistan’s airspace, which was efficiently retaliated by Pakistan with the shooting down of two intruding Indian fighter aircraft on February 26 and 27, 2019. “An Indian Air Force Pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was arrested by the Pakistani forces when his military jet MiG-21 crashed in AJK,” he added.

The speaker urged the deteriorating situation between Pakistan and India can only be normalised by amicably resolving the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. “Otherwise, peace in the region will remain an elusive dawn,” he said.

The speaker said India has also been indulging in the senseless attempt to portray the indigenous Kashmiri movement for self-determination as terrorism. “But the international community has rejected the Indian claim of equating Kashmiri struggle for self-determination with terrorism. The very scale at which the current movement has spread clearly reflects it being indigenous,” the speaker said.