JAMMU, Feb 21: India and Pakistan are understood to have agreed to maintain ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) as per the agreement reached between them on February 25, 2021. A decision to this effect was taken at a Brigade Commanders level flag meeting between Indo-Pak troops held at Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch sector this morning.The meeting comes after nearly 10 days of skirmishes between two sides on the LoC in jammu , Rajouri and Poonch districts in which two Indian soldiers including a Captain were martyred and four others were injured while Pakistan side lost eight jawans in two separate incidents.
Indian Army is determined to install CCTVs on its side of the LoC to monitor movement of infiltrators and thwart intrusion attempts while Pakistan side is trying to target the third eye as it wants to push terrorists into the Indian side for subversive activities, highly placed sources said.
While the Army didn’t issue any official statement on the flag meeting, sources said the two Brigadiers from Poonch led the Indian delegation comprising other officers while an equal rank and number of officers from Pakistan were present at the talks held at Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch sector.
The Indian side took strong note of certain “unwanted activities” carried out by the Pakistani troops on the LoC in Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri sectors and warned that such actions could have serious repercussions. Pakistan army having no arguments instead tried to shift blame on the Indian troops which was strongly resisted by the Indian delegation, the sources said.
However, as per the sources, the talks concluded peacefully and both sides reiterated commitment to maintain ceasefire agreement reached on February 25, 2021 for both LoC and International Border which is being implemented by both sides barring some incidents of violations by Pakistan.
The two sides highlighting the need to maintain peace along the border, the sources said, adding the Indian military delegation lodged a strong protest over the recent unprovoked cross-border firing incidents, infiltration attempts by terrorists and smuggling of narcotics and weapons.
Ceasefire violations along the border of Jammu and Kashmir have been rare since the two neighbouring countries renewed an agreement on February 25, 2021.
Two Indian Army personnel, including a Captain, were martyred and another was injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack carried out by suspected terrorists in the Akhnoor sector of the Jammu region on February 11.
Two Army personnel were injured in separate incidents of small-arms firing from across the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts on February 10 and February 14, while two more Army personnel were injured in separate land-mine explosions in Poonch over the last week.
The extent of damage on the Pakistani side in the retaliatory action was not known immediately but officials had said the enemy forces also suffered “heavy casualties”, most probably eight.
Sources said the Indian Army has installed CCTVs in some of the areas on the LoC on its own side to monitor movement of the infiltrators and thwart intrusion attempts aided and abetted by other side from across. However, this is not being liked by the Pakistani troops who want to push infiltrators into this side for causing terror acts.
“The CCTVs have already been installed in many areas on the LoC by the Indian side,” the sources said, adding there have been reports that Pakistan army could facilitate infiltration by the terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. Indian Army has made all arrangements to ensure that the intrusion bids don’t succeed.
Chakan-Da-Bagh where the flag meeting was held was used for cross-LoC trade between Poonch (J&K) and Rawalakote (PoJK) for over a decade till it was suspended in April, 2019 and was never revived since then.
Meanwhile, the sources said an explosion took place on the zero line in the Nakerkote area of the Digwar sector in Poonch at 9:20 am but there was no casualty.
The cause of the blast was not known immediately, they added.
