– Vinayak Barot
New Delhi: Amid tension with China at Line of Actual Control (LAC) Ladakh – India and Pakistan comes closer to develop peace at Line of Control (LoC). India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), lieutenant Gen Paramjit Singh Sangha and his Pakistani counterpart Major General Nauman Zakaria held a telephonic talk on Wednesday to develop peace at LoC border.
The Army of India and Pakistan on Thursday jointly announced that “they had begun observing a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir from the midnight of February 24.”
Indian and Pakistani Army decided to keep peace at LoC when India focused on the standoff with China at Line of Actual Control (LAC). Tension between India and China at the border emerged in the month of May last year.
Latest statement given by the Indian and Pakistani Army said that “Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight 24/25 Feb 2021.”
The two sides further said that “existing mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings will be used to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding.”
Relations between New Delhi and Islamabad were disturbed after Pulwama attack in February 2019 and India’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019.
India and Pakistan had agreed along a ceasefire on the LoC in November 2003 but it has been frequently violated in recent years.
On Wednesday – the Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane had said “India wants peace and tranquillity along all its borders, be it the LAC, LoC or the frontier with Myanmar.”
Naravane, however, said terror launch pads were active across the LoC, and the army will be prepared for a fresh influx of infiltrators in the summer.