Ceasefire violations a sign of Pakistan's desperation, says Alok Bansal

Security expert Alok Bansal on Sunday described the constant ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) as a sign of desperation.

"It will start snowing in the Kashmir Valley in a few weeks and Pakistan uses this time to help insurgents infiltrate the region. But because of the natural disaster, that is, the floods taking place in the area this year, Pakistan has been unable to infiltrate the region. Thus, we can see desperation from Pakistan," Bansal told ANI.

"I feel they are violating the ceasefire in the hope that by distracting the Indian Army, militants would be able to enter the valley," he added.

Bansal further said the firing on the houses of civilians along the LoC by Pakistani forces is also a sign of this desperation.

"The firing on civilian houses is also another sign of the same thing. The goodwill that the Indian Army has got by their rescue operations during the floods and the way Kashmir is aligning itself more and more with India has got Pakistan worried. Also, firing on civilians merely proves that Pakistan can sink to any level to see its own ends through," he said.

Bansal also approved of the Indian Army addressing this issue without the Centre's involvement.

"I feel that these infringements should only be answered by the army and the government should not interfere here. We cannot blame the illegal actions of the Pakistan army on the elected government. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif genuinely wants peace with India but in that country, these decisions are usually taken by the army headquarters in Rawalpindi rather than the parliament in Islamabad," he said.

Bansal also responded to former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf's claims that the Pakistani Army was losing its patience with India and dismissed his statements as the last act of a desperate man.

"Pervez Musharraf is currently awaiting judgement in Pakistan. The sword of punishment hangs over his neck. At this point, he is merely trying to be a hero is the eyes of the Pakistani people. He has no support in the government, the army or the judiciary and from all over the country, there is a demand for his incarceration. He is merely making populist statements so that his awaited sentence is dismissed or lessened," he said.

Violating the ceasefire for the 10th time this month, the Pakistani troops on Sunday opened heavy fire on Indian posts along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. The Indian side effectively responded to the firing.