In past three years, people living on the International border and near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have become the victim of Pakistan’s unprovoked firing, causing massive loss of lives and property.

According to information provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs in reply to a Jammu-based Right to Information (RTI) activist Raman Sharma, 8,571 ceasefire violations were committed by Pakistan between 1 Jan 2018 to July 2020.

The information provided by the office of Director Security (J&K Wing) of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), dated 18 Aug 2020 says that these ceasefire violations by Pakistan killed 119 Indians – 63 civilians and 56 security force personnel – besides causing injuries to 308 civilians and 300 security force personnel.

The communication by MHA also discloses that as compared to year 2010, the aggression by Pakistan in J&K in 2019 increased around 50 times and till July 2020 further increased 60 times. As on 2010 there were only 70 such incidents, but in year 2019 this increased to 3,479. Till July 2020, 2,952 incidents of ceasefire violations had been recorded.

The RTI reply says that from 2010 till now, Pakistan violated the peace pact on the border 11,572 times and resorted to cross border fire in J&K, killing 240 Indians that includes 122 civilians and 118 security force personnel that also injured 673 civilians and 594 security force personnel.

Every year, shelling incidents by Pakistan on border areas are increasing. In year 2010, only 70 such incidents were reported that killed 2 civilians and 5 security force personnel whereas in year 2019 the number of Pakistani’s unprovoked shelling incidents increased around 50 times as 3,479 incidents reported that include killing of 18 civilians and 19 security personnel in cross border shelling.

This year till July, 2,952 cross border shelling claimed lives of 15 civilians and injured 38 others, while 8 jawans died and 62 were injured..