General officer commanding-in-chief northern command, Lieutenant General KT Parnaik, on Tuesday said there has been three ceasefire violations since the flag meeting, and added that Pakistan is frustrated as infiltration has come down along the Line of Control (LoC).
A flag meeting was held at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch on January 14 and was attended by Brigadier level officers from India and Pakistan. The Indian Army raised a strong protest against the heinous mutilation of their deceased soldiers bodies, pointing out that it was against the tenets of the Geneva Convention as also in contravention to all established norms of soldierly behaviour.
"There have been three ceasefire violations since the flag meet. The firing was on during the Army Chief's address," he added.
Lieutenant general Patnaik said Pakistan is continuously provoking the Indian side to trigger a crisis along the Line of Control (LoC). "Pakistan has been resorting to violence. In 2011, there were more than 100 ceasefire violations as compared to 52 in the last year. Pakistan is frustrated, as infiltration is not taking place. Our troops are exercising great restraint," said Lt. Gen. Parnaik.
"Pakistan has continuously tried to infiltrate from a nallah at Uri. We have restricted that to a large extent and that's what frustrates them," he added
Stating that India will continue to retaliate whenever provoked, Lt. Gen. Parnaik said, "Pakistan is provoking us so that the LoC becomes hot and active. Our troops exercise great restraint. Whenever we are provoked we have retaliated and we will continue to do so."
Termed as 'barbaric and an unpardonable offence' the gruesome killing of the two Indian soldiers, Parnaik said, "The January 8 attack by Pakistan in the Mendhar sector violates the Geneva Convention as well as the ceasefire agreement."
"We are proud of our soldiers who made supreme sacrifice on January 8 while defending the border posts at Poonch and the Mendhar sector in Jammu and Kashmir. I want to assure everyone on behalf of the Army that their sacrifices will not go in vain," he added.
While admitting that the situation along the LoC was tense post-killing, Parnaik said the situation was, however, under control. Rejecting the Pakistani claims that raiding of its posts along the LoC by the Indian Army was the reason behind the killing of two Indian soldiers, the northern army commander further said Pakistan is as arrogant as ever and has always been in denial mode.
"The Pakistani brigadier read out a prepared script at the flag meeting and denied all," said Parnaik, even as he added that India had demanded that "the head of our soldier to be given back".
