RAWALPINDI – Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Babar Iftikhar on Friday rejected the Indian army chief’s claim that the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) is holding because they [India] negotiated from a “position of strength”.
The military spokesperson in a statement termed the Indian claims as misleading, adding that the agreement was made only due to Pakistan’s concerns for safety of people living on both sides of LOC.
“No side should misconstrue it as their strength or other’s weakness,” DG ISPR said in a tweet.
Indian COAS claiming LOC ceasefire holding because they negotiated from position of strength,is clearly misleading. It was agreed only due to Pak’s concerns 4 safety of ppl of Kashmir living on both sides of LOC. No side should misconstrue it as their strength or other’s weakness
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) February 4, 2022
His statement comes after India’s top military commander claimed the credit for maintaining almost a year-long ceasefire along the LOC.
“Ceasefire with Pakistan continues to hold as we negotiated from a position of strength,” Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukhand Narvane had said on Thursday.
Last year in February, the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings, and cease firing along the Line of Control (LOC) and all other sectors, with effect from tonight i.e. midnight 24/25 February 2021.
A statement issued by ISPR said both sides held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact. The two sides reviewed the situation along LOC and all other sectors in a free, frank, and cordial atmosphere.
In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace, the two DGsMO agreed to address each other’s core issues/concerns which have the propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence.
The officials of Indian and Pakistan reiterated that existing, mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings will be utilized to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding, said the military’s media wing.
Pakistan and India had agreed to the ceasefire on the LoC in 2003 with a focus on three main points. First is related to the defnece construction under which both sides will avoid construction in 500 meters of the LoC.
Secondly, they will not target each other’s posts directly and thirdly both sides can demand a flag meeting at the level of local commanders to resolve any issues along the LoC.
