Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on Tuesday agreed to “fully implement” the ceasefire pact of 2003 in “letter and spirit” forthwith to stop cross border firings in Jammu and Kashmir.
This was agreed during a hotline conversation between the two countries in the backdrop of increasing Cease-Fire Violations (CFV) along the Line of Control (LoC).
“Both the DGMOs agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit forthwith and to ensure that henceforth the Ceasefire will not be violated by both sides,” the Army said in a statement.
The statement added that the existing hotline mechanism was initiated by Pakistan’s DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Jamshed Mirza at 1800 hours Indian time and both sides reviewed the prevailing situation along the LoC and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian Army DGMO Lt Gen AK Chauhan agreed with the proposal to undertake sincere measures to improve the existing situation to ensure peace and avoidance of hardships to the civilians along the borders, the Army stated.
The two sides also agreed that incase of any issue, restraint will be exercised and the matter “will be resolved through utilisation of existing mechanisms of hotline contacts and border flag meetings at local commanders’ level.”
Interestingly, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan too issued a similarly worded statement.
There has been a major flare up in Cease-Fire Violations (CFV) along the LoC this year which has touched a record high. There were 880 CFVs in the first four and half months of this year compared to 850 CFVs for the entire last year.
The last conversation at the DGMO level was held on April 27. As per existing mechanism, there is a weekly discussion by officials from the Military Operations directorate every Tuesday but the DGMOs speak when one side requests a conversation.
