After Thursday’s surprise announcement of India and Pakistan recommitting themselves to the 2003 ceasefire on the LoC, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said the onus is on India to create an “enabling environment for further progress” in bilateral relations.
On the second anniversary of Pakistan’s retaliatory air strikes after the Indian Air Force (IAF) targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp at Balakot in 2019, Khan took to Twitter to say India must take steps to meet the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
Pakistan, he added, is ready to move forward to resolve “all outstanding issues through dialogue”.
“I welcome restoration of the ceasefire along the LoC. The onus of creating an enabling environment for further progress rests with India,” Khan tweeted.
“India must take necessary steps to meet the long-standing demand & right of the Kashmiri people to self determination acc to UNSC resolutions,” he added.
The agreement to hold fire at the LoC came into effect at the stroke of the midnight hour on February 24, two days after the DGMOs of both countries agreed to bring violence levels down at the LoC.
Sources within the Ministry of Defence say both India and Pakistan want to give peace a chance. The year 2020 has been particularly bad for the ceasefire. There were 4,645 ceasefire violations last year, a record high when compared to 1,629 in 2018 and 3,168 in 2019. In the first 2 months of 2021 alone, there have been 591 violations. The dramatic rise in 2019 came after the Pulwama attacks and abrogation of Article 370.
A joint statement issued by the armies of both countries said: “We have reviewed the situation along the Line of Control and all other sectors in a free, frank and cordial atmosphere. Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight 24/25 Feb 2021.”
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