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Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy welcomes DGMOs Ceasefire Agreement - Joint Statement (feb 27, 2021)

27 February 2021

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Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy welcomes DGMOs Ceasefire Agreement

Joint Statement released on 27th February 2021, New Delhi and Islamabad

Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD), from India and Pakistan welcomes the agreement between the DGMOs (Director General of Military Operations) of India and Pakistan to observe ceasefire on the Line of Control and International border from the midnight of 24 February 2021.

The escalating tensions and hostilities on the borders since 2014 have resulted in colossal loss of civilian lives and caused immense sufferings to the people living on both sides of the borders. There has been a spike in cross-border firing and mortar attack on villages and settlements in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack and the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. Mr. Rajnath Singh, the Union Defense Minister recently reported in the Parliament that in 2020 itself there were over 5000 incidents of cease fire violations.

We urge both the governments of India and Pakistan to take measures to ensure sustainable peace in the region with the resumption of the dialogue process and meaningful confidence-building measures, including steps for lifting the restrictions on trade and travel, easing visa regimes and encouraging people-to-people contact.

We expect that this historic moment of understanding will open up prospects for resumption of dialogue on all matters including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is key to long-term peace in the region. It needs to be emphasised that no amount of unilateral actions by the two countries will bring permanent peace to the region without addressing the wishes and aspirations of the peoples of Jammu and Kashmir from all regions.

Syeda Hameed, Tapan Bose and Vijayan MJ (on behalf of PIPFPD, India)

Mohammad Tahseen, I.A Rehman (on behalf of PIPFPD, Pakistan)

Contact details:

+91 9868165471/+91 9867220678, pipfpd.india[at]gmail.com

+92 3008480821, tahseenstu[at]gmail.com