ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif visited the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir on the eve of Eidul Azha and praised troops deployed there for ‘valiantly responding to ceasefire violations by India’.

According to the ISPR, he said that ceasefire violations by India ware unsuccessful attempts to distract Pakistan from the fight against terrorism.

The army chief plans to spend the Eid day on Friday with troops involved in Operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan.

“Gen Sharif visited forward locations on the LoC and met soldiers deployed on the front lines,” the military’s public affairs wing said. He expressed solidarity with civilians living in villages along the LoC.

Since he become the army chief, Gen Sharif set the tradition of spending Eid with troops involved in operations. He spent earlier Eids with troops in Waziristan and it was the first time that he travelled to the LoC for the occasion.

At least 28 civilians and a soldier have been killed since June in nearly 200 ceasefire violations committed by India.

The Working Boundary has been relatively calm since the chiefs of Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force agreed in their meeting in Delhi on Sept 9 to de-escalate.

The commanders responsible for the LoC also agreed at their meeting this week to end clashes.

Gen Sharif’s visit to the LoC comes ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept 30 during which, besides highlighting the ceasefire violations by India, he intends to propose measures for reducing tensions.

“Wishing Eid Mubarak in advance to officers and troops, the COAS praised their high state of morale, professionalism and valiance while defending the motherland and giving a befitting response to Indian unprovoked firing,” the ISPR said.

“India’s continuous ceasefire violations on LoC and Working Boundary are unsuccessful attempts to distract Pakistan from the fight against terrorism,” he was quoted as having said.

He said the army was battle hardened, had successfully handled two kinds of war and was capable of defending every inch of the country.

“Expressing solidarity with the civilians living along the LoC, the COAS paid rich tribute to their resilience and sacrifices while braving the Indian aggression. He reiterated that the Pakistan Army would provide all necessary assistance to all civilians affected by Indian unprovoked firing along the LoC.”

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2015

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