Over 2000 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan in less than six months in 2020: Defence Spokesperson

There have been more than 2000 incidents of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control by the Pakistani troops in less than six months in the year 2020, according to the Defence Spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand.

NEW DELHI: There has been an "astonishing" surge in ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC), according to the latest government data. In just six months this year, Pakistan has already violated the ceasefire more than 2000 times.

"There have been more than 2000 incidents of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control by the Pakistani troops in less than six months in the year 2020," Defence Spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said on Saturday.

As many as 114 instances of ceasefire violations were witnessed along the LoC in the first 10 days of June as compared to 181 and 14 instances of ceasefire violations in the whole month in 2019 and 2018 respectively, he said.

The Jammu-based Defence PRO, Lt Col Devender Anand, said, "2020 figure for ceasefire violations is astonishing, in less than 6 months there have been more than 2000 violations. If we compare with past years, there weren't as many violations in the entire 2018.”

The Defence Spokesperson further said that in 2019, a big spike in ceasefire violations was seen after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Lt Col Devender Anand warned that the number of ceasefire violations has increased continuously since then.

According to the government data, the year 2019 recorded the highest number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the previous 16 years when the ceasefire agreement in place since 2003 was breached as many as 3168 times. In 2018, the number of ceasefire violations was comparatively low at 1629. From January till June, the number of ceasefire violations has broken all records each month this year, the official figures said.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been no let down in operations in Jammu and Kashmir and this has led to increased engagements between the troops and terrorists. As many as 98 terrorists have been killed while trying to infiltrate into the Indian territory or fomenting trouble in the border areas, according to the government figures.

The comments from the Defence spokesperson came a day after the Pakistani troops violated ceasefire for the fifth consecutive day on Friday as they shelled forward posts and villages in five sectors of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by small arms firing and intense shelling with mortars in Shahpur, Kirni and Qasba sectors in Poonch, the Indian Army said.

About 1950 hours, the Pakistan army violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector of Poonch district and Manjakote sector of Rajouri district.

The Pakistani troopers had initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC in Kirni and Qasba sectors in district Poonch at 1615 hours, the Defence PRO said adding that the Indian Army retaliated befittingly.

An Army jawan was killed and a civilian injured when the Pakistan army heavily shelled villages and forward posts along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch district on Thursday. The neighbouring nation had targeted over a dozen villages along the LoC in Nowshera and Balakote sectors late Thursday night.