Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: In a major breakthrough, Pakistan and India on Tuesday agreed to restore the 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary.

The decision was reportedly taken during a ‘special hotline contact’ established between the director general military operations (DGMOs) of the two neighbours.

A statement released by the the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said both DGMOs reviewed the prevailing situation along the LoC and the Working Boundary, and mutually agreed to undertake sincere measures to improve the existing situation, ensuring peace and avoidance of hardships to the civilians along the borders.

“Both DGMOs agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit forthwith and to ensure that henceforth the ceasefire will not be violated by both sides,” the statement read.

The top military commanders also agreed that in case of any issue, restraint would be exercised and the matter would be resolved through exiting mechanisms like the hotline contact and border flag meetings at local commander’s level.

The move comes after weeks-long clashes along the border that have left dozens – mostly civilians – dead on both sides. It is yet unclear what prompted the two sides to agree to restore the 2003 agreement. The timing of the move coincides with the end of the five-year term of the PML-N government.

Recently, AG Dulat, the former RAW chief who has co-authored a book by former ISI chief Lt Gen Asad Durrani, had suggested during a talk that the Indian government needed to invite Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to break the deadlock in the dialogue process.

Also on Tuesday, a Pakistan Maritime Security Agency’s (PMSA) team headed by its Director General Rear Admiral Zaka-ur-Rehman visited Indian Coast Guard (ICG) headquarters at New Delhi and met with Director General ICG Rajendra Singh. On the occasion, a guard of honour was presented to Pakistani officials, said a PMSA statement. During the visit, it was set out that all the marine issues would be solved by mutual negotiation.

Rear Admiral Zaka-ur-Rehman said: “We will promote the passion of well-wishing. Security of marine limitation is included in our obligation.” The head of Indian Mission Director General ICG said that the visit of ICG Headquarters at New Dehli by holds bright prospect.

Published in Daily Times, May 30^th 2018.