Gen Qamar interacts with troops at a forward post during his visit to the LoC. PHOTO: INP
Gen Qamar issued the direction during a visit to forward locations on the LoC. He also visited the headquarters of 10 Corps, which is responsible for security along the LoC. This was the first visit by Gen Qamar to the forward locations after taking over as chief of army staff on Tuesday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that Gen Qamar was briefed in detail about the prevailing security situation at the LoC in view of recent violations and escalation by Indian troops and Pakistani forces’ response.
Appreciating the troops for their operational readiness and befitting response given to unprovoked Indian firing in violation of the ceasefire agreement, the army chief directed them to keep the highest level of vigilance at all times.
“Each violation of any kind must be responded with full force in the most effective manner,” he was quoted as saying by the military’s media wing.
The army chief said India’s aggressive posture was solely aimed at diverting attention of the world from atrocities being committed by its troops in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He said the core issue of Kashmir would have to be resolved between the two countries in line with the UN resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir for lasting peace in the region.
Gen Qamar is considered an expert in Kashmir affairs and LoC since he has spent considerable time of his professional career on these areas. It is believed the army chief considers the homegrown militancy as the main threat than the danger posed by arch-rival India. But the current belligerence by India along the LoC appears to have warranted his tough response.
Tensions between Pakistan and India have been running high since a deadly attack on an Indian military base in the disputed Kashmir region in September. The root cause, however, is the current uprising in IOK. Since July, Kashmir has been in the grip of violence as Indian authorities resorted to massive force in the valley to quell the uprising triggered by the killing of a prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Burhan Wani.
Pakistan believes India through escalation of tension along the LoC is trying to divert the world’s attention from the current situation in IOK.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz is scheduled to visit the Indian city of Amritsar on Sunday to attend the Heart of Asia conference on Afghanistan. Pakistan insists it is ready for bilateral talks without any preconditions but hopes of any engagement were dashed after New Delhi turned down Islamabad’s olive branch.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2016.
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