NEW DELHI: Pakistan violated the ceasefire on the international border (IB) in Jammu around 480 times this year, a rise of more than 400 per cent over the 111 violations last year. The incidents included firing at Indian posts, shelling on villages and sniping at jawans, in which 11 BSF personnel were killed.
BSF officials said Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire almost thrice a day this year even though they were responding aggressively to the provocations and despite the DGMOs of India and Pakistan agreeing on May 29 to “fully implement” the ceasefire pact of 2003 in “letter and spirit”.
The officials cited the absence of a government in Islamabad as one of the reasons for Pakistan’s misadventures. “Cross-border firing on the IB and even the LoC, which is managed by the army, has increased because Pakistan Rangers and military are not accountable to any leadership and local commanders have taken matters in their hands,” an officer said.
Intelligence alerts have suggested that ceasefire violations will continue till Pakistan’s general election on July 25.
Sources said the ISI has also become active in the region and was using non-state actors to snipe at BSF jawans, which was sometimes supported by Pakistan Rangers.
BSF chief KK Sharma has advocated heavy retaliatory firing, forcing Pakistan to seek truce a dozen times in the last two years. However, officials said Pakistani forces don’t honour their word and start firing within hours of a flag meeting or a call between the two sides.
Prasanta Patnaik 
amfnews