NEW DELHI: Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane has said that the restoration of ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir is the first step towards a long road of normalisation of bilateral ties.
“This is the first step on the long road to normalisation of ties between the two countries. We would like the ceasefire to continue. It has definitely led to an improvement in the security situation and benefited civilians living in forward areas,” Naravane told Indian media.
Indian and Pakistani militaries announced on February 25 that they had begun observing a ceasefire along the LoC. The Indian army chief alleged that the ceasefire violations were aimed at providing cover to infiltrators.
Peace along the LoC is mutually beneficial, Naravane said. “The population living on either side suffers due to violence along the LoC. I am sure the Pakistan army is also concerned about the population and hopefully the ceasefire will hold,” the Indian army chief said.
The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India contacted and discussed the situation at the Line of Control and other border sectors in the contact, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
The two sides reiterated strict implementation of the ceasefire agreements at the LoC and other border sectors from the midnight of February 24 and 25, ISPR said. “The two sides also agreed to resolve any unexpected situation with the mechanism of the border flag meetings,” according to the statement.
