India raises concerns over cross- border firing

CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS 21 killed in more than 2,000 incidents this year, India tells Pak

NEWDELHI: India said on Sunday it has conveyed to Pakistan its concerns over “unprovoked ceasefire violations” along the Line of Control (LOC) to support the infiltration of terrorists, even as tensions remain high between the two countries after New Delhi’s move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status last month.

There have been more than 2,050 unprovoked ceasefire violations this year in which 21 Indians have been killed, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Pakistan has sought to use the changes in Jammu and Kashmir, described by India as an internal matter, to internationalise the issue. Indian officials have rejected the Pakistani leadership’s contention that the matter could lead to war and accused Pakistan of using the issue to promote jihad and cross-border terrorism.

“We have highlighted our concerns at unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan forces, including in support of crossborder terrorist infiltration, and targeting of Indian civilians and border posts by them,” Kumar said.

“We have repeatedly called upon Pakistan to ask its forces to adhere to the 2003 ceasefire understanding and maintain peace and tranquility along the LOC and IB (International Border),” he said.

Speaking at the Ht-mintasia Summit recently, external affairs minister S Jaishankar had said India was willing to talk to Pakistan only if it was without “having the gun of terrorism pointed at our heads”, adding t hat most of t he world had accepted that India’s move was an internal issue.

Last month, Parliament cleared the move to effectively revoke Article 370 of the ConstiRaveesh Kumar, MEA spokesperson