Source: HT
Context: Tensions escalated along the Line of Control (LoC) after ceasefire violations by Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26 people.
About Line of Control (LoC):
- What It Is?
- The Line of Control is the de facto military boundary between India and Pakistan in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
- It is not an internationally recognized border but a ceasefire line accepted bilaterally under the Simla Agreement.
- Established In:
- Originated from the Ceasefire Line (CFL) post-India-Pakistan war of 1947-48.
- Redefined formally as the Line of Control following the Simla Agreement signed on July 2, 1972.
- History:
- 1947-1948 War: First ceasefire line established after UN intervention and the Karachi Agreement of 1949.
- 1965 War: Pakistan violated CFL, leading to another ceasefire and the Tashkent Agreement.
- 1971 War: Resulted in a decisive Indian victory and new ceasefire lines; led to Simla Agreement 1972 establishing the LoC.
- Region and Spread:
- The LoC stretches over 740 km from Manawar near Jammu to NJ9842 near the Siachen Glacier.
- It separates Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) from Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
- Key Features:
- Military Control: Both sides maintain heavy military presence along the LoC.
- Non-Recognition: It is not recognized as an international boundary, maintaining the dispute on Kashmir.
- Simla Agreement Provisions: Both sides pledged not to alter the LoC unilaterally and to resolve differences peacefully.
- Strategic Importance: Vital for defense operations, maintaining ceasefire, and national security management.
