96 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this year; highest in 8 years

Targeting forward posts and civilian areas along the Indo-Pak border, Pakistan has violated the ceasefire 96 times this year, the highest in last eight years.

"There were 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the month of September, bringing the total number of violations to 96 this year up to September 18," Defence spokesman S N Acharya said in Srinagar on Wednesday.

Set to complete a decade of its existence in November this year, the 2003 Indo-Pak ceasefire has been violated by Pakistan several times over the years.

This year, Jammu and Kashmir's Line of Control and International Border in Poonch sector and Jammu frontier have seen heightened activity with firing by Pakistani troops, BAT attacks and sniping incidents on Indian forward posts on almost daily basis since August 6.

Six jawans were killed, while six security personnel were among 14 persons injured in firing by Pakistan troops on forward posts, civilian areas and patrolling parties along the Indo-Pak border during August this year.

Ceasefire violations were the highest this year compared to past eight years. There were 93 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir last year, according to figures revealed by Defence Minister A K Antony in Lok Sabha in March.

Five people, including three security personnel were killed and 13 others, including 10 security men, injured in the border incidents of firing and ceasefire violations last year.

Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement with India on 44 occasions in 2010. The corresponding number was 51 in 2011. Two Army personnel were killed during the violations in 2010 and one was killed in 2011, MoD figures said.

There were 28 violations reported in 2009, followed by 77 in 2008, 21 in 2007 and three in 2006, the figures said. "All ceasefire violations are taken up with Pakistan military authorities at appropriate level through established mechanism of hotline, flag meetings as well as weekly talks between the Director Generals of Military Operations," Antony had said.

India and Pakistan, during NDA rule, had taken a major confidence building measure by entering into border ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on November 26, 2003.