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'UN observers recorded 3,388 LoC violations by India during 1996-99'

CHAKOTI: The United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) during the last four years Ñ since 1996 up to 1999 Ñ have recorded 3,388 violations of the Line of Control (LoC) by India.

This was stated by the Commander of Chakoti Sector of Pakistan Army Brig, Khalid Nawaz while briefing the foreign delegates about the current situation on the LoC.

These included journalists, historians, writers and broadcasters besides parliamentarians from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Nepal, China, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

Giving yearly break-up of the LoC violations by India, he said during 1996, there were total 1,990 violations. These violations included the firing with light ammunition besides gun shots.

In 1997, though violation rate remained considerably low, but the Indian army started pounding heavy mortar shells, and gun fire. During the year, there were total 731 recorded violations.

During 1998, the LoC violations were recorded as 350, but again the Indian army kept the area inside Azad Kashmir under heavy firing.

Again in 1999, the violations the escalated and the figure touched 517 mark.

Due to lack of resources and manpower available to UNMOGIP, the group records the violations through various means and sources, Brig Khalid said.

The data collected for four violations is considered to be one, he added.

So, he said, the UNMOGIP recorded figures could reveal actual figures. As such, these are multiplied with four, he said.

Referring to casualty figures of civilians during 1997, commander of Chakoti said, these were 63 while 226 others were injured.

During 1998, the casualty rate rose to 115 with 442 other injured while during 1999, the toll was recorded as 165 including 579 injured.

Regarding intensity of firing during 1997, Brig Khalid said over 23,959 rounds of various calibres were fired by the Indian army from across the LoC.

In 1998, the magnitude of firing and their intensity beides the size was higher with a record of 39,983 mortar guns and other heavy artillary.

In 1999, the firing from across the border was also recorded as 33,800 artillary, mortar and rockets landed in the Azad Kashmir territory.

When asked about the range which was hit by Indian army during these incidents of the violations, Brig. Khalid said, "usually the area, from eight to 10 kms, was affected due to their firing."

About the firing pattrens, he said the Indian army fires simultaneously all types of small and medium and heavy weapon which are discriminately used.

About the life across the LoC, he said there is a complete curfew within the 8 kms of the LoC from dusk to dawn and the people living in these areas could hardly move during these hours.

Gang rape and extra-judicial killings and torture have become the order of the day in the entire occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

To a question about the targets of Indian army while expounding the morter rockets and other firing, he said, mostly they target civilian populations, including schools, power stations, shops, mosques, markets, hospitals, and other community places.

During the last four five years, he said around, 23,000 families migrated from the disturbed parts of the occupied Kashmir while over 40,000 people were killed.

Regarding the deployment of Indian troops in the valley he said over 0.65 million military and paramilitary forces have been deployed with the ratio of 7:4 of the civilian populations.

When asked about retaliation to Indian army firing, he said "Quid pro suo response is always given to the Indians."

Brig Khalid said the morale of the Pakistani troops is very high, who have great zeal and enthusiasms to serve their motherland.

Among the lofty mountains of Chakoti valley, along the River Jhelum, foreign delegates, during the briefing showed keen interest and expressed concer over the situation in the occupied Kashmir.

they were told that the human sufferings in the occupied valley had assumed a grave proportion where survival of a common man had become next to impossible.

the magnitude of problems faced by the people of the occupied Kashmir could be adjudged that during last one decade, 16,238 women were subjected to gangrape, 6,726 persons were sexually incapacitated through torture, and 39,340 persons were disabled for life.

He said 491 school children were burnt alive.

Other burnt alive included 674 people, dead recovered from River Jhelum were 617, while over 30,000 houses and shops were set ablaze he said.

Those, who also were present in the briefing included, Kashmir American Council Executive Director Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights London the Secretary General Syed Nazir Gilani and Kashmir Welfare Organisation Saudi Arabia member Nazir Ahmed Qureshi. APP