Line of Control Violations by Indian Armed Forces (JR220)

Line of Control Violations by Indian Armed Forces (JR220)

Introduction

The term Line of Control (LoC) refers to the military control line between the Indian and Pakistani controlled parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir—a line which does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary, but serves as the de facto border. Originally known as the Cease-fire Line, it was redesignated as the "Line of Control" following the Simla Agreement, which was signed on 3 July 1972. The part of the former princely state that is under Indian control is known as the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani-controlled part is divided into Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit–Baltistan. The northernmost point of the Line of Control is known as NJ9842. The India–Pakistan border continues from the southernmost point on the LoC. Another ceasefire line separates the Indian-controlled state of Jammu and Kashmir from the Chinese-controlled area known as Aksai Chin. Lying further to the east, it is known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

Fencing

India constructed a 550 km barrier along the 740 km  Line of Control. The fence generally remains about 150 yards on the Indian-controlled side. Its stated purpose is to exclude arms smuggling and infiltration by Pakistani-based separatist militants.

The barrier itself consists of double-row of fencing and concertina wire 2.4–3.7 m in height, and is electrified and connected to a network of motion sensors, thermal imaging devices, lighting systems and alarms. They act as "fast alert signals" to the Indian troops who can be alerted and ambush the infiltrators trying to sneak in. The small stretch of land between the rows of fencing is mined with thousands of landmines

The construction of the barrier was begun in the 1990s, but slowed in the early 2000s as hostilities between India and Pakistan increased. After a November 2003 ceasefire agreement, building resumed and was completed in late 2004. LoC fencing was completed in Kashmir Valley and Jammu region on 30 September 2004. According to Indian military sources, the fence has reduced the numbers of militants who routinely cross into the Indian side of the disputed state to attack soldiers by 80%

November 2003 ceasefire agreement

 Pakistan appears to be quite eager on formalizing the 2003 ceasefire, while the Indian side appears quite reluctant to even discuss it. In his address to the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2015, the former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Shari  said: “We propose that Pakistan and India formalize and respect the 2003 understanding for a complete ceasefire on the Line of Control in Kashmir”. And he went on to propose an expansion of the U.N. Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to monitor the ceasefire. Then, the following year in October 2016, the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi, Abdul Basit, repeated the same offer and said: “That would help to stop the situation from further deteriorating until we are able to resume talks”.

Ceasefire violations along LOC had become a routine business during the Kashmir uprising in the 1990s. After the 2003 ceasefire agreement they almost came to a halt during the peace process in the years of 2004-2007. However, ceasefire violations started once again in 2008 when the peace process was derailed. The official statistics from India and Pakistan suggest 2017 was the worst year since the 2003 ceasefire as the violations crossed the 2000 mark for the first time. These figures clearly suggest the unwritten 2003 ceasefire is now over, and India and Pakistan are now back to the pre-2003 situation when such violations were routine along LOC. According to Professor Happymon Jacob it was a miracle that the 2003 ceasefire survived for such a long time despite the fact that there was nothing officially written between the two countries.

2003- After Musharraf calls for a ceasefire along the LoC during a UN General Assembly meeting in September, the two countries reach an agreement to cool tensions and cease hostilities across the de facto border.

The year 2017 was the worst year in terms of ceasefire violations between India and Pakistan since the 2003 agreement came into force. India blamed Pakistan for 860 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LOC) and the working boundary along Jammu-Sialkot, while Pakistan blamed India for 1300 ceasefire violations causing around 100 deaths in 2017 only. Both sides claim they are retaliating, blaming the other side for breaking the ceasefire in an ‘unprovoked’ fashion and boasting that a ‘befitting response’ was given and a higher number of deaths were incurred on the other side.

"Various mechanisms will be set in place for maintaining peace and tranquility (along LoC in J&K). Both sides agreed to a lot of things and agreed to further continue this process so that the LoC can remain tranquil and we (India and Pak) follow the tenets of 2003 ceasefire (agreement)", General Officer Commanding (GoC) 16 corps Lt Gen R R Nimbhorkar told reporters on the sidelines of a function today.  Jul 13, 2018,

Pakistan Actions

The Sheer volume of line of Control (LoC) violations, have rendered the ceasefire agreement null and void. For the time being Pakistan has resorted to retaliation on the LoC and diplomatic lobbying against the Indian aggression.

On September, 5, 2017, Pakistan raised this issue with the United States Security Council (UNSC)  to take action against escalating Indian violence on the Line of Control and even on the working boundary. .In response UN Military Observer Group was asked to investigate the violations, but these violations contained.

Indian rationale

India accuses Pakistan of resuming sponsorship of cross line of control militant attacks on Indian armed forces, a charge Islamabad hotly denies, and disputes. New Delhi has used this pretext for the aggression on the Line of Control.  Put simply New Delhi has made punishing terrorism within India by striking across the Line of Control. New Delhi does not even have a clear tactical or strategic ends that are secured by means of this aggression.

India links the formalization of the ceasefire or any sort of normalization with Pakistan to ‘terrorism’. Maybe this Indian response is only a part of the country’s grand strategy to pressure and isolate Pakistan – otherwise it is quite difficult to understand why India would not be willing to formalize the 2003 ceasefire when ceasefire violations have remained one of the major concerns for New Delhi. The only justification which could be offered is that India opposes any third-party involvement in the Kashmir conflict invoking the 1972 Simla Accord. Therefore, it might be against the expansion of the UNMOGIP to monitor the ceasefire. But the formalization of the 2003 ceasefire does not necessarily require the expansion of the UNMOGIP, and some security analysts in India even favour the neutral oversight of the UNMOGIP

Ever since 2014 when Modi came to power. New Delhi has become even more aggressive, all thus aggression on the Line of Control has debatable and questionable strategic gains to India.  

LoC violation some selected incidents

LoC violations: Apr., 16, 2020: The Pakistan Army categorically rejected Indian allegations that Islamabad was involved in ceasefire violations and was purposefully “infiltrating COVID-affected individuals” in occupied Kashmir, saying they were “baseless” and “delusional”.“Indian insinuations about infiltration and CFVs by Pakistan are not only baseless but are also patently designed to divert global and domestic attention from the unending fiasco post – 5 Aug 2019.” The military’s media wing also rejected India’s accusations that Pakistan was “infiltrating COVID-affected individuals into IOJK”, saying Islamabad had always offered the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) unhindered access to sites where ceasefire violations had occurred.
“No less delusional are the allegations about Pakistan infiltrating COVID-affected individuals into IOJK. Pakistan has always extended unhindered UNMOGIP access to CFV sites.“We will continue to do that most transparently,” the ISPR warned.
“Indian leadership will be well advised to focus on addressing the internal mess, created not only by COVID-19 mishandling but also by the tragedy unfolding in IOJK for years on end,” it added  https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/04/15/pakistan-rejects-indias-claims-of-infiltration-into-iok-ceasefire-violations/

LoC Violations: Apr., 13, 2020: A four-year-old boy was killed and four other civilians were injured by Indian shelling from across the Line of Control (LoC) on Sunday, officials said. The four-year-old victim, Hussain Mir, was killed in Bantil village when the Indian forces started shelling earlier today. "The innocent boy was hit by shrapnel from a mortar shell in the first bout of shelling while he was standing in the courtyard of their house. He died on the spot," Shahid said.Bantil is part of revenue village Tehjiyan and five kilometres away from Dudhnial. Both Tehjiyan and Dudhnial had suffered damages from Indian shelling on Friday as well. In Rakhchikri sector, two men, aged 26 years and 70 years respectively, were injured from Indian shelling . Meanwhile, in Poonch district, a 14-year-old boy was critically injured after shelling started in the area at about 6:30pm Early in the morning, a 50-year-old woman was injured in Gaahi Barhu village of Samahni sector in the southernmost Bhimber district The Nakyal sector of Kotli district was also being “indiscriminately” shelled by Indian troops, residents said, adding that there were no reports about casualties.“Indian army is targeting Mohra Dharoti, Balakot, Nara Lanjot and other adjoining villages. As I speak to you, I can hear the thunder of mortars and artillery,” Abdul Qayyum Tahir, a Nakyal-based journalist told Dawn by telephone.“We will be able to ascertain losses only when the shelling stops,” he added. The number of people killed by Indian shelling in the year 2020 has increased to three while 54 civilians have been injured, out of whom 38 are men and 16 women. Unprovoked, indiscriminate and unrelenting ceasefire violations by Indian Army were not only causing civilian casualties and damages but also disturbing our efforts to contain Covid-19 in areas along the restive ceasefire line [LoC]. Earlier today, the Inter-Services Public Relations had said that two civilians were injured from "unprovoked ceasefire violation" by Indian forces during the night. On Friday, six civilians were injured after Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing in various sectors near the LoC, the ISPR had said. https://www.dawn.com/news/1548651/4-year-old-boy-killed-near-loc-from-indian-shelling-officials-say

LoC violation; Apr., 12, 2020: At least six civilians have been "seriously injured" in the past 24 hours as Indian Army resorted to unprovoked firing in various sectors near the Line of Control (LoC), the Inter-Services Public Relations said on Saturday. "In last 24 hours six citizens including two girls have been injured and evacuated to nearby health facilities for necessary medical care," the ISPR said on Twitter. LOC Update: Indian Army resorted to unprovoked fire in Nikial Sector deliberately targeting civilian population. CFVs being responded befittingly by Pak Army troops.  According to the statement, Indian forces "deliberately targeted civilian population" in the Nikial, Sharda, Dhudnial and Shahkot sectors, while at Bessan Wali and Chhari villages, four innocent civilians, including a 15 year old girl, sustained serious injuries. An 18-year-old girl was also injured seriously in Mohra village, it added. On Thursday, Pakistan had shot down an Indian quadcopter after it violated Pakistan's airspace in Sankh district. https://www.dawn.com/news/1548346/6-civilians-injured-by-indian-firing-across-loc-in-various-sectors-ispr

Cease fire and LoC: Apr., 10. 2020: The United Nations said on Wednesday that Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ recent global appeal for a ceasefire in the world’s conflict zones also applied to the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, where India had repeatedly been violating the ceasefire, causing casualties and damages on the Pakistani side. The secretary general, in an appeal issued on March 23, had urged warring parties across the world to lay down their weapons in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19, “the common enemy” that is now threatening all of humankind. The global appeal, though, did not seem to affect Indian occupation troops who frequently fire across the LoC in violation of the ceasefire, despite a rise in coronavirus cases in the occupied territory amid a crippling lockdown.

  https://tribune.com.pk/story/2194394/3-un-says-global-ceasefire-appeal-also-includes-loc/

LoC : Feb., 28, 2020: Since 2019, at least 60 civilians have been killed and more than 280 wounded due to Indian shelling into Pakistan-administered Kashmir, according to Pakistani government data, which also revealed that the death toll rose by 114 percent compared with the year before.  Conflict at the LoC spiked in February 2019 following a suicide attack that killed at least 40 Indian security forces in the Indian-administered town of Pulwama. India responded by increasing shelling across the LoC and then carried out air raids on Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26 s." https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/constant-fear-death-pakistan-administered-kashmir-200226140258169.html

LoC Violation: Dec., 20,2019: At least two civilians were martyred and two others including a woman injured as Indian forces violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) on Thursday Three soldiers of Pakistan Army also got injured in exchange of firing between the two forces. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2121450/1-two-civilians-martyred-india-violates-ceasefire-along-loc/

LoC violations: Oct., 21, 2019: Nine soldiers of the Indian Army were killed and several others injured as the Pakistan Army   responded to New Delhi’s unprovoked ceasefire violations along the Line of Control,.  DG ISPR Major   said Pakistan destroyed two Indian bunkers after Indian forces deliberately targeted civilians in Jura, Shahkot and Nousheri sectors.  one Pakistani soldier and three civilians were martyred in the exchange of fire, while two soldiers and five civilians suffered injuries. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2083613/1-nine-indian-soldiers-killed-several-injured-loc-exchange-ispr/

LoC fatalities: Oct., 2, 2019: India and Pakistan have again traded fire along their highly militarized frontier in the disputed Kashmir region killing a woman and a boy in a border village in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Raja Tariq, a local administrator in Nakyal sector, says Indian mortars “fired unprovoked” Sunday and hit a home in Drary village, killing 60-year-old widow Salamat Bibi and wounding a boy who later died in a hospital. Another woman was also wounded. https://mynorthwest.com/1534521/pakistan-says-indian-mortars-kill-woman-boy-in-kashmir/

LoC : Sep., 30,2019: A woman and a teenage boy were killed after being hit by Indian shelling from across the Line of Control (LoC) on Sunday Indian troops engaged in "unprovoked firing" along the LoC in Nakyal and Rakhchikri sectors, targeting civilian population. https://www.dawn.com/news/1508031/2-dead-3-injured-after-unprovoked-firing-by-indian-troops-along-loc 

LoC Firing: May, 6,2019: A young boy and a woman were 1(illed and another woman was injured in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday amid `unprovoked` shelling by Indian troops from across the restive Line of Control (LoC), the casualties occurred in Maal Gujran and Sehra villages in Khuiratta and Hajira subdivisions of Kotli and Poonch districts, respectively, where Indian troops resorted to shelling from 10am onwards Pooch District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Rubia Kanwal identified the victims as 45-year-old Nasreen Begum, wife of Chaudhry Wazir Hussain, and 24-year-old Sonia Nadeem. Shariq Talat, the DDMO of the neighbouring Kotli district, told Dawn that a 12-year old boy, Mohammad Shahid, son of Mohammad Shabbir, lost his life in Maal Gujran village, two kilometres off the LoC in Anderla Kotehra sector.  According to AJK officials, the latest casualties have pushed the death toll in ceasefire violations by Indian Army this year to 16, including six women, while the number of injured civilians has gone up to 82, including 33 women.

LoC : Oct.,18, 2019: Pakistani and Indian troops exchanged gunfire in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing four civilians and wounding nearly a dozen others, officials from both sides said Wednesday. On Wednesday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it summoned an Indian diplomat to lodge its protest over the previous day’s “cease fire violations” that killed three civilians, including two children, on the Pakistani side of the contested Kashmir border. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistan-says-india-army-firing-kills-3-civilians-in-kashmir/2019/10/16/c4e4a0d4-efe7-11e9-bb7e-d2026ee0c199_story.html #FreeKashmir #SaveKashmir

LoC killings: Oct., 10, 2019: The Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to record a strong protest against the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on October 6 and 7. An elderly woman had died and three other civilians had sustained injuries in the firing in Chirikot sector along the de facto border. https://www.dawn.com/news/1509718/pakistan-summons-indian-envoy-to-protest-killing-of-civilian-in-loc-ceasefire-violation

Pakistani soldiers killed; July, 4, 2019: Five Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred and one other sustained injuries in an explosion that took place a few metres from the Line of Control in Chamb sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Wednesday. Those killed include :  Subedar Muhammad Sadiq, aged 44, resident of village Bandi P/O Jura, tehsil Athmuqam and district Neelam; Sepoy Muhammad Tayyab, aged 26, r/o village Surakhi, tehsil and district Khushab;  Naik Sher Zaman, aged 36, r/o village Shamashaki, district Karak; Sepoy Zohaib, aged 20, r/o village Nandi Nar Ghamir Manhdala, tehsil Hajira and district Poonch; Sepoy Ghulam Qasim, aged 22, r/o village Sahiwal, tehsil Sahiwal and district Sargodha. 

LoC firing: July, 21, 2019: A Pakistan Army officer was martyred and three civilians got injured on Saturday as "the Indian Army resorted to unprovoked firing" and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), the Army's media wing reported. According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Indian Army used rockets and mortars to target the civilian population and the Army posts in Battal, Satwal, Khanjar, Nikyal and Jandrot sectors. "During the exchange of fire, Havaldar Manzoor Abbasi embraced martyrdom while four citizens, including two young girls and a woman, got injured," read the statement.

LoC: July, 30, 2019:  At least one civilian was killed while seven others were injured in a village in Azad Jammu and Kashmir in yet another "unprovoked" ceasefire violation by Indian forces from across the Line of Control (LoC  officials said on Monday. Indian forces began shelling and firing in the Nezapir sector at about 3:45pm and in Khurshidabad sector at around 6pm on Sunday "without any provocation". "They used both small and big arms and targeted civilian populations, restricting people indoors till late night," he said. Rehmat Jan, a 45-year-old woman who lived in Mandhar village, died after being hit by the splinters of a mortar shell, Zaheer told Dawn. Another resident of the village, Begum Jan (48) was injured due to Indian shelling, he said. Three civilians — Zainab Jan (60), Muhammad Naeem Dar (24) and Ulfat Rashid (17) — were injured in Kairni village while Munir Hussain (20), Kausar Parveen (26) and Nosheen (18) were wounded in Kachar Ban.  The civilian death toll in the current year has increased to 22, including 13 men and nine women.  About 11 army personnel have also been martyred along the LoC in the ongoing year, Qureshi added.

LoC violations: Aug., 19, 2019: 7 years old, Noor Saddam s/o Noor Mohammad, who was injured by firing of Indian forces across the Line of Control yesterday, died today, May God give him a status of a martyr. Abbaspur  AJ&K

LoC Violations: Jan., 10, 2019: a mortar shell fired by Indian troops from across the frontier in   Kashmir killed a woman as she was trying to reach a shelter during an exchange of fire between India and Pakistan. Akhtar Ayub says the woman, identified as Sajida Bibi, was “martyred” Wednesday when the shell hit her near the bunker in Bugna village north of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled section of Kashmir.

LoC Violations: Mar.,3,2019: Two Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom at Nakiyal Sector in exchange of fire while targeting Indian posts undertaking firing on civilian population," the ISPR statement read. "Martyrs include Havaldar Abdur Rub and Naik Khuram. Reports of casualties of Indian troops and damage to post due to effective response by Pakistan Army," it concluded. Earlier, ISPR had reported Indian firing across the LoC, as a result of which two citizens were martyred while two others, including a woman, were injured. Separately, our correspondent reported that a 19-year-old youth, identified as Abdul Ghaffar, was injured in Darra Sher Khan when he was shot at by an Indian sniper from across the LoC.

LoC Violation: Apr., 28, 2020: Pakistan on Monday summoned the head of Indian High Commission in Islamabad to lodge a strong protest over the latest ceasefire violations by Indian troops along the Line of control (LoC), leaving a woman martyred and eight-year old inured. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Indian troops initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations in Jandrot and Khuiratta sectors along LoC deliberately targeting civilian population on Monday morning. “Due to indiscriminate fire of automatics and rockets, a 36 years old woman, Yasmeen,  resident of village Red embraced shahadat [martyrdom] while an 8 years old innocent girl, Adeeba Zaheer, resident of village Mohra Chattar sustained serious injuries. [The] injured child has been evacuated and being provided with medical care,” the military’s media wing said. “The Indian occupation forces  this year, India has committed 882 ceasefire violations,” according to the FO.  . https://tribune.com.pk/story/2208281/1-pakistan-summons-indian-diplomat-lodge-protest-ceasefire-violation-along-loc/

Recommendations

1.      International comminuty:The 2018 so called Balakot strikes, did not result in any losses in Pakistan, but the fact that India crossed the International border and bombed Pakistan territory did not evoke a suitable response from the World community, who kept silent apart from some hard core friends of Pakistan, has embolden India, the International community did not meet expectations that people have with the world consciences .  

2.      UN suggested ceasefire: The United Nations said on Wednesday that Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ recent global appeal for a ceasefire in the world’s conflict zones also applied to the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, where India had repeatedly been violating the ceasefire, causing casualties and damages on the Pakistani side. The secretary general, in an appeal issued on March 23, had urged warring parties across the world to lay down their weapons in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19, “the common enemy” that is now threatening all of humankind. The global appeal, though, did not seem to affect Indian occupation troops who frequently fire across the LoC in violation of the ceasefire, despite a rise in coronavirus cases in the occupied territory amid a crippling lockdown.

3.      Pakistan diplomacy:Pakistan should present in a firm manner these violations at every forum available, including at the UN forums, so that nec3ssary action can be taken.