ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India have agreed on de-escalation along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary that have lately witnessed frequent violations of the ceasefire accord.

The decision on ending hostilities was taken on Tuesday during a conversation between the heads of military operations directorates of the armies of the two countries.

“Directors General of Mil­i­tary Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan talked on the hotline today. Both sides mutually agreed to reduce tensions along the LoC and Working Bound­a­ry,” a military spokesman said.

The conversation took place on Pakistan’s call.

There have been 136 ceasefire violations by India this year, 103 of them took place along the LoC and 33 on the Working Boundary. Four civilians were killed in shelling carried out by the Indian Border Security For­ce over the past two months.

The situation has been impacting the bilateral relationship.

Last week India cancelled the foreign secretaries level talks on the pretext that Pakistan’s High Commissioner had met Kashmiri separatist leaders. But it is believed that hostilities along the Working Boundary had actually prompted India to call off the dialogue.

The DGMOs had earlier met in December last year after which the two sides agreed on upholding the 2003 LoC ceasefire accord. The two sides had then also discussed protocols for avoi­ding violations and defusing the resulting tensions.

Last year’s meeting came after 416 alleged LoC ceasefire violations by India and about 150 by Pakistan.

Talks between the two countries have been held up since ceasefire violations started in January 2013.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2014