India lodges protest with Pak over ceasefire violations on LOC

NEWDELHI: India on Friday registered a strong protest with Pakistan over more than 2,400 unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control (LOC) and the international boundary this year that have killed 14 Indians.

People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that the Indian side, in its protest, said the ceasefire violations amounted to a contravention of the ceasefire put in place by the two sides in 2003.

“Till June this year, 14 Indian nationals have been killed and 88 more have been injured in more than 2,432 unprovoked ceasefire violations carried out by the Pakistan forces,” said one of the people cited above.

“We have also conveyed our strong concerns at the continued support being extended by the Pakistan forces for crossborder infiltration of terrorists, including through covering fire,” the person added.

Despite these concerns being shared by the Indian side, including through the channel of the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOS), the Pakistan forces have not ceased such activities, the people said.

India has accused Pakistani forces of providing covering fire to assist terrorists attempting to sneak across the LOC to carry out attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

As relations worsened following the Indian government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status last August, troops along the LOC have repeatedly exchanged fire.

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