Over 3,000 ceasefire violations by Pakistan

Srinagar: There have been 3,186 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC (Line of Control) in Jammu over the past eight months (from January 1 to September 7), the government told Parliament this week.

This is the highest number in a year for 17 years - since the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement was brokered by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

In addition, there were also 242 incidents of cross-border firing (from January 1 to August 31), in the Jammu region, along the international border with Pakistan, Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Defence, said in the Rajya Sabha.

"Appropriate retaliation" was carried out by the Indian Army, the minister further said, adding that all violations had been taken up with Pakistani authorities through established channel and protocols.

Eight Army personnel died for their country during the ceasefire violations this year and two others were injured. A large number of innocent civilians - men, women and children - were also killed, and a number of houses and buildings have been destroyed.

Hostilities between the two countries have also increased following the government's decision in August last year to withdraw special privileges to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the former state into two union territories.