“Disconnect between your HQ and troops along LoC”

Indian DGMO slams Pakistan counterpart over hotline

JAMMU: Slamming Pakistan for its double-faced character, Indian Army on Saturday lambasted the Pakistan military for its actions on the Line of Control not adhering to its words, while maintaining that strong retaliation to ceasefire violations from neighbouring country was its right and none of provocative acts of transgression from the Pakistani side will be tolerated.
In a telephonic conversation over the hotline, Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart that there appeared to be a "disconnect" between the Pakistan Army headquarters' intent and the actions of its troops along the Line of Control and asked it to address this "credibility gap".
"There appears to be a disconnect between the intent at the Pak GHQ (General Headquarters) which reiterates its desire for peace and the actions of Pak troops along the Line of Control, who resort to heavy firing without provocation," Lt Gen Bhatt told the Pakistani DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza on Saturday.
The unscheduled talks took place following a request from the Pakistani DGMO, who during the conversation, accused Indian security forces of resorting to unprovoked firing and targeting civilians in the Poonch sector, Army said.
Indian DGMO also conveyed emphatically to his Pak counterpart that Indian troops will continue to take all retaliatory measures and "retain" the "right" to punitively respond to any provocative acts of transgression from the Pakistani side, the Army said.
"The retaliatory firing by the Indian troops is carried out in response to unprovoked and repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan," Lt Gen Bhatt said.
He further exhorted Maj Gen Mirza to resolve this "existent credibility gap" to ensure that peace and tranquillity is maintained along the LoC.
The Army said Lt Gen Bhatt clarified that Indian troops always maintain "impeccable standards of professionalism" and do not target civilians in any manner.
Bhatt said that the Indian Army will continue its efforts to ensure peace and tranquility along the borders.
The LoC in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spurt in ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops and the Indian Army has been retaliating effectively to Pakistani actions