Ceasefire violations

As a result of action by Indian security forces, tension has been growing along the Line of Control and international border which divides Kashmir. There has been a marked escalation in firing by India across the LoC over the past six or seven days, according to the Pakistan Foreign Office. The Indian side has accused Pakistan of responsibility for the attacks using heavy artillery and guns. The Foreign Office said on Friday in Islamabad that it had summoned a senior Indian diplomat to protest the ceasefire violations. According to the FO, in 2020 India has so far committed 989 such violations. Recently, six civilians were seriously injured due to unprovoked Indian firing across the LoC in the Neza Pir and Rakchikri sectors, including at least three children and their mother. The tensions over the issue of attacks targeting villages across the LoC has continued throughout the year and shows no signs of simmering down. Pakistan has called on the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan to ensure New Delhi respects the 2003 ceasefire and to investigate the various incidents of violations of this agreement.

New Delhi has for the most part remained unrepentant over the attacks, accusing Pakistan of initiating them. It has also not responded to demands from leaders in Indian-held Kashmir that efforts be made to protect the people of Kashmir from the coronavirus pandemic and has continued to report Pakistani action across the LoC, notably since the Pakistan army shot down a second Indian quadcopter spying along the LoC in April this year. Reports in the Indian media have stated that Pakistani militant forces have been active along the LoC and have played a part in inciting violence. The mainstream India media has continued to back the narrative from New Delhi without questioning its logic. There is no evidence that the aggressive, hostile approach adopted by New Delhi since the Modi government came to power in 2014 is changing in any way. Indeed, the arrogance from India and its refusal to follow the international agreements it has signed agreeing to a ceasefire have been ignored with greater and greater impunity. The consequence is that villagers living close to the LoC are facing an increasingly dangerous situation, with panic growing among them.

There does not seem to be any attempt to solve the problem. It is unlikely that this will happen unless the international community steps in and takes India to task for endangering lives and breaking agreements. There has already been far too much suffering in Kashmir. The people deserve a break from it as they attempt to deal with the oppression already being faced in Indian-held Kashmir as well as additional issues such as those posed by Covid-19 and the shutdown that continues in Kashmir even after almost nine months.