DG-level talks: Armed exchanges along LoC, WB Pakistan’s top concern

India says talks will also try to focus on positive issues

NEW DELHI: Amid escalated tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) and a cancelled round of talks between the national security advisers, Pakistan and India have embarked on a three-day DG-level border dialogue between the Pakistan Rangers and India’s Border Security Force (BSF).

India will raise the “most important” issues of ceasefire violations and cross-border infiltration, while armed exchanges along the LoC and working boundary (WB) is on top of Pakistan’s agenda.

As the two forces maintained their threatening posture on the Wagah border with a ceremony accompanying the opening and closing of gates at the border that made it appear as if the two countries were at each other’s throats, a 16-member Pakistani delegation reached the BSF headquarters on Thursday for the talks that are being held after a gap of almost two years.

Rangers Punjab Director General (DG) Maj Gen Umar Farooq Burki, who is leading the Pakistani delegation, was accorded a guard of honour at the BSF headquarters and later welcomed by BSF DG DK Pathak and other senior officers.

The delegation that had reached New Delhi the previous evening via Amritsar includes officials of Sindh Rangers, interior ministry, Survey of Pakistan, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and immigration department.

Led by Pathak, the 23-member Indian side is expected to raise issues like ceasefire violations in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), including sniper attacks on BSF personnel, and cross-border infiltration.

“The talks will also endeavour to focus on positive issues,” read a BSF statement.

The BSF said it would also take up the issue of intrusion into the Harami Nala area in Rann of Kutch (Gujarat), smuggling of contraband from across the border and illegal movement of suspects up to the ‘zero line’ area along the IB.

Meanwhile, a Punjab Rangers spokesman said the issue of frequent armed exchanges along the LoC and WB is on the top of the agenda for the Pakistani delegation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th,  2015.