Lok Sabha Question No. 398 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-01
Subject: Ceasefire Violation
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: RODMAL NAGAR, KIRTI (JHA) AZAD, MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE, MEENAKASHI LEKHI, P. KUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †398

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1ST  DECEMBER, 2015/AGRAHAYANA 10, 1937 (SAKA)

## CEASEFIRE VIOLATION

†398. SHRI NAGAR RODMAL: SHRI KIRTI AZAD: SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE: SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI: SHRI P. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of cross border firings and ceasefire violations by Pakistan during each of the last three years and the current year, border-wise;
- (b) the  total  number  of  civilians  and  security  personnel  injured/killed, damage to property and exodus of people from the affected regions during the  said  period  and  the  corrective  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  signed  any  agreement  with  Pakistan  to stop ceasefire violations at the borders of the country and if so, the details thereof along with the incidents of firing/ceasefire violations that have been occurred after signing of the said agreements;
- (d) whether the security forces are equipped with state-of-the-art weapons to counter heavy shelling at the borders and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  cross  border firings and infiltration at the borders in the country and provide security to the people residing in the border areas?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRAN RIJIJU)

(a): The details of cross border firings and ceasefire violations by Pakistan

## LS.U.S.Q.No. 398 FOR 01.12.2015

during last three years and the current year is as under:-

| Year   | Number of cross border firings and ceasefire violations   | Number of cross border firings and ceasefire violations                 |
|--------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        | International Border(IB) under operational control of BSF | Along the Line of Control(LoC) and IB under operational control of Army |
| 2012   | 21                                                        | 93                                                                      |
| 2013   | 148                                                       | 199                                                                     |
| 2014   | 430                                                       | 153                                                                     |
| 2015   | 249 (upto 31.10.2015)                                     | 152 (upto 15.11.2015)                                                   |

- (a) : The number of civilians and security personnel injured/killed, property damaged  (houses)  and  persons  temporarily  affected,  during  the  last three years and the current year due to unprovoked firing along the IB and LoC in J&K, are as under:-

| Year   | Civilians         | Civilians         | BSF personnel at IB & LoC   | BSF personnel at IB & LoC   | Damage to property (Houses)   | No. of persons temporarily affected   |
|--------|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|        | Killed            | Injured           | Killed                      | Injured                     |                               |                                       |
| 2012   | 01                | 02                | 03                          | 03                          | --                            | --                                    |
| 2013   | --                | 19                | 02                          | 18                          | 03                            | --                                    |
| 2014   | 12                | 86                | 02                          | 17                          | 140                           | 2,08,000                              |
| 2015   | 15(upto 20.11.15) | 71(upto 20.11.15) | 04(upto 31.10.15)           | 08(upto 31.10.15)           | 50(upto 26.07.15)             | 7,110(upto 26.07.15)                  |

Ex-gratia relief to the affected families is paid by the State Government. The  affected  families  are  temporarily  shifted  to  safer  places  and  provided with  accommodation  with  basic  amenities  along  with  medical  aid  by  the State Government.

- (c): All violations of ceasefire are taken up with Pakistan authorities at the appropriate  level  through  the  established  mechanisms  of  hotlines,  flag meetings as well as weekly talks between the Director General of Military Operations.

In  addition,  Government  has  repeatedly  emphasised,  including  at  the highest  level,  the  need  for  Pakistan  to  uphold  the  sanctity  of  the  Line  of Control and abide by the ceasefire commitment of 2003 along the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

DG level talks held between DG BSF and DG Pakistan Rangers at BSF HQ, New Delhi from 09 to 12 Sept 2015 in which issue of ceasefire violation was  raised  strongly  and  Pak  Rangers  agreed  to  maintain  peace  on  this border.  However,  after  the  talks  27  Nos  of  ceasefire  violations  have  taken place.

- (d):   The Indian Army  has deployed troops suitably supplemented  by appropriate  surveillance  resources  in  J&K  to  maintain  the  sanctity  of  the Line  of  Control  (LC).  It  is  also  being  ensured  that  all  resources  (including human)  of  Indian  Army  deployed  in  forward  positions  along  the  LC  are tactically  balanced  and  have  requisite  strength,  armament  and  equipment. BSF  is  equipped  with  14.5/20  mm  Anti  Material  Rifles,  30  mm  Automatic Grenade Launchers, 84 mm Carl Gustav Rocket Launches, 51 mm and 81 mm Mortars.
- (e): The following measures have been taken by the Government to check ceasefire violations at the borders and ensure the safety of the civilians at such areas:
- i) Proper  defence  preparedness  (including  strengthening  of  Nakas,  field fortifications,  high  mast  lights  etc.)  is  ensured  on  the  International Border.
- ii) Immediate  and  effective  retaliation  by  BSF  Personnel  is  carried  out during instances of unprovoked fire and ceasefire violations.
- iii) Mechanism has been instituted at Border Out Posts (BOPs) and border areas  to  expeditiously  inform  the  villagers  on  occurrence  of  crossborder firing.
- iv) BSF regularly interacts with border population situated close to border and educates them not to move in vicinity of areas prone to unprovoked fire without prior information / permission of BSF.
- v) Diplomatically,  India  has  repeatedly  emphasised,  including  at  the highest level, the need for Pakistan to uphold the sanctity of the Line of Control (LC) and abide by the ceasefire commitment of 2003 along the International Border and LC.
- vi) The  affected  families  are  temporarily  shifted  to  safer  places  and accommodated by the administration at various government buildings and are provided all  basic  amenities  like  health  care,  drinking  water, power, temporary toilet, sanitation and security.

vii)  Bullet  Proof  bunkers  and  ambulances  are  kept  in  readiness  at convenient locations for evacuation of persons in case of emergency.

## LS.U.S.Q.No. 398 FOR 01.12.2015

To check infiltration, the Government of India in tandem with the State Government, have adopted a multi-pronged approach to contain cross  border  infiltration,  which,  inter-alia,  includes  strengthening  of border management and multi-tiered deployment along the International Border / Line of Control, monitoring of infiltration, routes, construction  of  border  fencing  including  plugging  the  gaps  through technological solutions, weapons and equipments for Security Forces, improved  intelligence  and  operational  coordination;  and  pro-active action against terrorists within the State.

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