FO spokesperson says dates for DGMOs meeting being worked out. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
As Pakistan reiterated its eagerness to lower tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said on Saturday that a meeting between the directors general military operations (DGMOs) of both countries would take place soon.
“This issue is one of high priority for the [Indian] government… the DGMOs of both countries should meet soon,” he told reporters in New Delhi.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, said the two countries were working out dates for the DGMOs meeting. “The DGMOs will explore ways to ensure the ceasefire agreement remains intact,” Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said in a statement on Saturday.
“Maintaining ceasefire along the LoC is important for ensuring peace and security in the region … Pakistan is eager to end tensions with India and as such proposed strengthening the existing mechanism for ensuring peace along the ceasefire line,” Chaudhry added.
Khurshid’s statement came after New Delhi accused Pakistani forces of shelling Indian posts along the LoC on Saturday. Indian military officials claimed two Border Security Force soldiers were killed after Pakistani troops opened fire on 14 forwards posts in the Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts of Indian-administered Kashmir.
“This is a matter of grave concern … it is the very thing we want to address,” Khurshid said. “This is not just an issue of diplomacy. This is an issue of military relations. The actual on the ground situation is known to the military on both sides.”
Pakistan’s High Commissi-oner to India Salman Bashir, however, said both sides needed to take steps to stabilise the situation along the LoC. “Pakistan is prepared to do whatever it can to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility,” he reiterated.
New Delhi’s accusation came a day after sources in the Pakistani military accused Indian forces of shelling the Chirara and Harpal sectors near Sialkot and aiding an attempt by Indian terrorists to infiltrate Pakistan.
Talking to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, a Pakistani Foreign Office official said the Indian political and military leadership was persistently drumming up public sentiment against Pakistan to divert attention from corruption and other grave social issues in India ahead of the elections in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2013.
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let us hope all concered understand ground realities and refrain from indulging further strains.
Fully agree that Indian politicians ate drumming up ant pakistan hysteria in the lead up to Lok Sabha elections. Anti Pakistan parties are expected to fare well in these elections. So no short term relief expected and any meaningful overture will only come after the elections. MMS missed many opportunities to resolve Siachin, Sir Creek and even Kashmir. Let's hope NaMo can step up and bring peace to sub-continent