Directors-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan held a telephonic conversation over the hotline on Monday during which Pakistan raised the issue of alleged killing of civilians along the Line of Control (LoC) which was denied by the Indian side. This comes in the backdrop of increasing firing and infiltration attempts along the border.
“Based on request by the Pakistan DGMO, the DGMO level talks were held today [on Monday] at 10.30 hrs. The issue discussed related to the current situation along the LoC,” the Indian Army said in a statement.
Commitment to peace
The statement said Indian DGMO Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt conveyed his commitment to ensuring peace and tranquillity, which is “contingent” on the Pakistan Army’s intentions and actions.
“If Pakistan Army continues to abet infiltrations and cause trans-LoC firings, the Indian Army will take appropriate retaliatory actions,” Lt. Gen. Bhatt conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart Maj. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza.
Stating that needless escalations by the Pakistani Army were highlighted during the conversation, the statement said that on the issue raised by Maj. Gen. Mirza regarding civilian killings, Lt. Gen. Bhatt conveyed that the Indian Army “is a professional Army and will not harm civilians in any manner.”
Civilian casualties
The hotline conversation took place against the backdrop of Pakistan’s recent claim of having killed five Indian soldiers in the Tatta Pani sector, and the Indian Army’s vehement denial of it. The Pakistani military has also issued a video clip of the incident, which India termed fake.
The Pakistani military warned in a statement that any misadventure from across the LoC in any form will be responded with full force at the time and place of their choosing with onus of responsibility on Indian aggressive behaviour.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the DGMO contact was established in the backdrop of recent ‘ceasefire violations’ by the Indian Army along the LoC and Working Boundary. “Pakistani DGMO Maj. Gen. Sahir Jamshed Mirza raised issues of unprovoked firing by Indian troops along the LoC and Working Boundary and continuously targeting of innocent civilians, particularly on June 1 in Battal, Hot Spring and Jandrot sectors resulting in deaths of civilians,” the statement added.
The ISPR statement also said that the Pakistani DGMO told his Indian counterpart that killing of innocent civilians and labelling them as infiltrators is highly unprofessional and un-soldierly.
