DGMO talks: Will punitively respond to provocations, India tells Pakistan

Pakistan Army Chief had said on Friday that the military was always ready to deal with any kind of "perpetual threat" on its eastern border.

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New Delhi: The Indian Army on Saturday told the Pakistani military that there appeared to be a "disconnect" between the Pakistan Army headquarters' intent and the actions of its troops along the Line of Control.

In a telephonic conversation over the hotline, Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt also told his Pakistani counterpart that Indian troops will continue to take all retaliatory measures and "retain" the "right" to punitively respond to any provocative acts of transgression from the Pakistani side, the Army said.

The unscheduled talks took place following a request from the Pakistani DGMO, who during the conversation, accused Indian security forces of resorting to unprovoked firing and targeting civilians in the Poonch sector, it said.

On #PakistanArmy request, Director General Military Operations(DGMO)#IndianArmy speaks to his #PakistanArmy counterpart pic.twitter.com/jYzOMb22Gk — ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) November 18, 2017

Lt Gen Bhatt conveyed to Pakistan DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza that retaliatory firing by the Indian troops is carried out in response to unprovoked and repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information said in a statement.

It said Lt Gen Bhatt told the Pakistani DGMO that there appeared to be a "disconnect between the intent at the Pak GHQ (General Headquarters) which reiterates its desire for peace and the actions of Pak troops along the Line of Control, who resort to heavy firing without provocation."

He further exhorted Maj Gen Mirza to resolve this "existent credibility gap" to ensure that peace and tranquillity are maintained along the LoC.

The Army said Lt Gen Bhatt clarified that Indian troops always maintain "impeccable standards of professionalism" and do not target civilians in any manner.

Bhatt said that the Indian Army will continue its efforts to ensure peace and tranquility along the borders.

The talks come a day after Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that the military was always ready to deal with any kind of "perpetual threat" on its eastern border including the LoC with India.

The Chief of Army Staff visited the Rawalpindi Corps headquarters where he was briefed on the prevailing situation along the Line of Control (LoC)/the Line of Actual Contact (LAC) and operational preparedness, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Army's media wing, had said in a statement, on Friday.

"Expressing satisfaction on the response to India's ceasefire violations, Bajwa said that there cannot be any let up for our preparedness for a response against the perpetual threat on our eastern border including LOC/LAC," the ISPR had said.

(With PTI inputs)