What is the full form of LOC?

Introduction

Line of Control (LoC) is the border between Pakistan and India that was set up in 1972. It is as often as possible referred to as the two countries' de facto boundary. It consists of 778 kilometres of heavily guarded land with several checkpoints and posts.

The Indian army is in charge of the western side, and Pakistani forces are in charge of the eastern half. Although it was established after the 1971 conflict between India and Pakistan, its roots may be discovered in 1947, when both nations gained independence from the United Kingdom.

It was thought that once India was divided in 1947, the two nations would cooperate to define their borders. But later disputes over control of resources and land prevented this. Due to this, two wars were fought in 1965 and 1971, which caused further adjustments to their borders. The ultimate agreement was reached in 1972 when both nations declared the LOC as their border.

Location

The de facto border between India and Pakistan is a 778 km long line called the Line of Control (LOC). It was initially created in the Simla Agreement of 1972 and marks the borders between the two nations for defensive purposes.

From one location to another, the LOC's precise route differs. It goes through uninhabited jungle or mountainous terrain in some places, while in others it flows through rivers or along hilltops. Although there are certain outliers, the LOC mostly follows the three regions of Kashmir: Ladakh to the east, Jammu to the south, and Azad Kashmir to the west.

The LoC also passes past a number of cities and towns, including Bhimber, Kotli, and Poonch in Pakistani-administered Kashmir as well as Muzaffarabad, Punch, and Kargil in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Some communities are split in two by it, dividing the friends and relatives on each side. While Pakistanis residing on their side of the queue need special authorization to enter India, Indians who live close to the LOC are granted a restricted mobility permit (RMP).

Significance

The relevance of the Line of Control in terms of history is easy to understand. Between Kashmir's Indian and Pakistani administrations lies this line. But the LOC also designates a line of truce dividing the adversarial armies of India and Pakistan.

Conflict between Pakistan and India

Since both nations' independence in 1947, there have been wars between India and Pakistan. Each nation received a specific amount of territory in what is now known as the Kashmir area after they set its borders in 1948.

Since then, both India and Pakistan have claimed this area as their own, resulting in a number of clashes and disagreements throughout the years. Eventually, this conflict erupted into war in 1947, 1965, 1971, and 1999, leading to heavy casualties on both sides.

Cease-Fire Line Accord

India and Pakistan decided to establish a ceasefire line known as the "Line of Control" (LOC) in order to stop future hostilities from breaking out between their two countries. The Karachi Agreement, which was signed in 1949, initially agreed on the LOC.

After Bangladesh gained its independence from Pakistan in 1972, it was then reinforced once again by a new pact.

The LOC serves two main purposes −

• It makes an effective barrier that keeps conflicts between India and Pakistan from happening near it.

• Without deciding whether nation has ownership rights over any specific territory, it delineates which portions of Kashmir are governed by Pakistan or India.

Conflict

With the division of British India into India and Pakistan, the war first emerged in 1947. Due to the region's historical and political importance, both nations immediately claimed it as their own, resulting in a conflict over Kashmir. Both nations engaged in ferocious combat in the subsequent Partition Conflict, which culminated in a truce that was overseen by a UN mission in 1949.

Since then, tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region have mostly stayed unaltered. The Second Kashmir War, a major war between the two nations that broke out in 1965, resulted in a UN-mandated cease-fire and the creation of the Line of Control (LOC), a de facto boundary.

Minor skirmishes remained despite this truce for the following forty years, but in 1999, during the Kargil Conflict, tensions rose once again, leading to yet another significant clash along the LOC that lasted for over three months before a ceasefire was reached.

Even after several attempts to broker peace negotiations, tensions along the LOC remain high, with certain regions still witnessing intermittent confrontations between Indian and Pakistani soldiers. We are likely to continue to observe this boundary remaining intact for many years to come because there is no resolution to the conflict in sight.

Conclusion

The Line of Control, often known as the LOC, is a disputed boundary that separates the areas of Kashmir that are governed by India and Pakistan. The LOC is one of the most militarised boundaries in the world, and India and Pakistan have been at odds over the division of Kashmir since the 1950s. There hasn't been a permanent resolution to the Kashmir conflict despite several bilateral and global summits over the past 70 years.

The LOC serves as a symbol of India and Pakistan's protracted struggle and turbulent past. The Line of Control, as well as the larger Kashmir conflict, endure as the area struggles to deal with the effects of British colonialism and the battle for Kashmiri independence.

FAQs

Q1. Are residents near the Line of Control permitted to live there?

Ans: Along the Line of Control, there are towns and cities with populations of civilians. However, the lives and livelihoods of these people are challenged and in danger due to the close proximity to the border and the possible dangers associated with border clashes and ceasefire breaches.

Q2. Is travel and tourism permitted along the Line of Control?

Ans: No commercial or public travel is permitted across the Line of Control. Due to security issues and the fact that the dispute has not been settled, it is a border that is carefully watched after. It is prohibited and subject to the rules and regulations of the relevant governments to enter some regions along the Line of Control.

Q3. Is the Line of Control acknowledged internationally?

Ans: There is no internationally recognised boundary along the Line of Control. It is seen as a de facto boundary between Jammu and Kashmir's Indian and Pakistani administrations. There is still a disagreement over the area, and further talks between the two nations will determine the Line of Control's ultimate status.