MHA forms panel to check ceasefire violation

The increased ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border that has affected the daily lives of civilians has prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to form a study group to examine their problems.

There has been a huge jump in the cross-border conflict this year with ceasefire violation recording a high of 600 in the first nine months as compared to 450 in 2016. Eight civilians have lost their lives as opposed to 16 last year.

The four member panel headed by senior IPS officer Rina Mitra, Special Secretary, Internal Security in MHA will meet people living in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as security forces, district administration officials and public representatives. The panel is scheduled to submit its report within two months.

The principal secretary (home) in the Jammu and Kashmir government, the divisional commissioner of Jammu, and the divisional commissioner of Srinagar are panel members while the joint secretary (home department, J&K) is the member-secretary.

"The competent authority has approved the constitution of a study group for considering various problems being faced by the people residing near International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in the wake of regular threats of cross-border firing," an order issued by the MHA said.

India shares a 3,323 km long border with Pakistan of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LOC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.