Pakistan, China and AFSPA: What the Army Chief said

Ahead of Army Day on 15 January, Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh addressed a press conference in the national capital where he highlighted the Army’s stand on various issues including AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir and ceasefire violations along the LoC. [caption id=“attachment_1337589” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Army Chief Gen. Bikram Singh. AFP[/caption] Here are the top three highlights of the Army Chief’s press conference. On AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir Army chief Gen Bikram Singh said there should be no dilution of AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir in view of the prevailing situation in the region, including possible terrorist spillover into the valley after the US withdraws from Afghanistan. “As per military’s prespective, (in view of) the situation prevailing in the Valley, I think we should wait for a while to see whether the situation remains the same, worsens or improves. Based on that we should take action,” the Army chief said. On ceasefire violations along the LoC Justifying India’s retaliation to a ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, the Army Chief said India would not sit quiet if Pakistan violated rules as per the ceasefire between the two armies. “If rules are followed by our neighbours, we follow them too. If they break them, we won’t sit on it, we will break them too… Ceasefire violations have been to aid infiltration (of militants into Kashmir).” The “endeavour is not to escalate the situation into operational or strategic arena. It is to deal with the same measure if not more and give a befitting response in a professional manner at place where we are fired upon.” The Pakistan media had blamed Indian army for violating the ceasefire and opening firing on civilian population in Muzaffarbad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. “When a ceasefire violation takes place along the LoC, it is a minor war over there,” he said, adding India’s response to attempts at infiltration from across the border continued to remain strong. He said many of the ceasefire violations were committed in order to aid infiltration. On China’s intrusion along the LoAC The Army Chief said it was wrong to say India did not act on repeated intrusions by China, adding that there were talks at the diplomatic level as well. “There has been an improvement in the situation along the LoAC. Attempts are on to ensure the ceasefire agreement is adhered to,” he said, adding that there is inadequacy at the moment regarding infrastructure development along the Indo-China LoAC.