Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 24: In what can be termed as a major breakthrough in checking tensions on the Line of Control (LoC) and infiltration attempts by the militants in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan in their first meeting in past 14 years today agreed to enforce 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
After being confronted with strong evidence of Pakistan backing to infiltration attempts by the militants into Jammu and Kashmir, the DGMO assured that he would go through the evidence and ensure that the militants find no support in their country.
This was the first meeting of the DGMOs after 14 years. They had last met on July 11, 1999 in the aftermath of Kargil conflict.
Official sources told the Excelsior that DGMOs of India and Pakistan Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia and Maj Gen Aamer Riaz had about two hours long detailed discussions, beginning 11 am, on Pakistan side of Wagah border opposite Amritsar district of Punjab in which two raids by Pakistan Army on the LoC and unprecedented ceasefire violations in the months of August and September figured prominently, which, India said, were gross violation of 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Pakistan DGMO Maj Gen Aamer Riaz, who warmly received his Indian counterpart Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia at Wagah border at 11 am, was on back foot on the issue of ceasefire violations and Pakistan Army’s support to the militants trying to infiltrate inside the Indian territory.
While admitting ceasefire violations for which Pakistan DGMO also put some blame on Indian side, Maj Gen Riaz initially didn’t agree with his Indian counterpart’s assertion that Pakistan Army was lending support to the militants, who were trying to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir. However, Lt Gen Bhatia gave proof to his Pakistani counterpart on support of Pakistan Army to the militants trying to intrude into the Indian territory.
Sources said the Pakistan DGMO agreed to examine the evidence and assured that there would be no support to the militants. They added that the Indian Army had gathered enough evidence of Pakistan Army’s support to the militants in their infiltration attempts, which was submitted to Maj Gen Riaz, which he couldn’t counter.
Declining to share the evidence, sources, however, pointed out that Army had prepared videos of Pakistan Army opening firing on the LoC to give cover to the infiltrators, which clearly indicated that they wanted the militants to enter into Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian DGMO apprised his serious concern to the Pakistani counterpart about raids by Pakistan Army on January 8 at Mankote in which two Indian soldiers were killed and night of August 4 and 5 at Sarla battalion area at Chakan-Da-Bagh in which five jawans were killed in Poonch sector. The bilateral ties between India and Pakistan had nosedived after the twin raids.
The DGMOs agreed to re-energise the existing mechanisms to maintain the ceasefire on the LoC during two hours long cordial, constructive and fruitful meeting in which both sides agreed to ensure ceasefire and strengthen the existing mechanisms.
“Two flag meetings between Brigade Commanders will be held on the LoC in the near future to ensure peace and tranquility,’’ sources said.
The DGMOs decided to make their hotline contact, which takes place every Tuesday, “more effective and result-oriented”. They also agreed to inform each other of inadvertent crossing of the LoC by any civilian to ensure his early return, sources said.
They added that the Indian side outrightly rejected Pakistan’s demand seeking bigger role for the United Nations Military Observers deployed along the LoC. The UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) was established in 1949 under a resolution passed by the Security Council to monitor the ceasefire line.
Pakistan had proposed the inclusion of Foreign Ministry officials in the meeting of the DGMOs but India rejected the move.
Both sides decided to strictly adhere to 2003 ceasefire agreement to ensure that it was not violated by either side. Just a couple of days after the DGMO level talks between the two countries were announced, Pakistan had violated ceasefire at International Border (IB) in Hiranagar sector and LoC at Pallanwalla sector injuring BSF Sub Inspector Jatinder Singh. However, the Pakistan DGMO assured his Indian counterpart that Pakistan Army would strictly adhere to ceasefire agreement.
Today’s meeting was an outcome of talks between Prime Ministers Dr Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif in New York on September 29 on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly at the height of tensions triggered by the LoC flare-ups.
The Premiers had decided the DGMOs should hold talks to reduce tensions but the meeting could not be scheduled till now, over which Dr Singh had even expressed disappointment with Mr Sharif. It took nearly three months to schedule the meeting, which had been decided at the highest level of India and Pakistan.
Besides the DGMOs, a Brigadier and three Lieutenant Colonels from both sides took part in the talks.
Besides tensions on the LoC, the DGMOs also discussed matters related to the International Boundary with a focus on maintaining 2003 ceasefire and ensuring normalcy.
Worthwhile to mention here that over a dozen Army personnel and civilians were injured in heavy shelling and firing by the Pakistan Army at the LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in August-September this year while a BSF jawans was killed and 30 others including 17 civilians and 13 BSF jawans were injured in ceasefire violations by the Rangers in October this year.
Pakistan had also suffered heavy losses.
Tensions had escalated after five Indian Army soldiers were killed by the Pakistani troops in Sarla battalion area at Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch sector on the intervening night of August 4 and 5.
PTI adds from Wagah border:
Speaking to media at Attari on his return from Pakistan, Lt Gen Bhatia said the aim of the meeting was to work out a protocol to defuse tensions and uphold the ceasefire on the LoC.
Both sides had assured each other that they would ensure there is no violation of the ceasefire in future, he said.
Bhatia did not respond to questions on whether the Indian side had raised the issue of the beheading of an Indian soldier on the LoC.
In Rawalpindi, chief Pakistani military spokesman Maj Gen Asim Bajwa described the meeting of the DGMOs as “positive”.
Both sides discussed ways to reinforce the 2003 ceasefire to reduce tensions on the LoC, he said.
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