Easing tension: Pak, India hold flag meeting over ceasefire violations
Rangers propose meetings take place at senior level; BSF concurs
NEW DEHLI:
India and Pakistan on Wednesday held a commander-level flag meeting to defuse the tension sparked by the recent surge in firing incidents at the volatile border between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The meeting lasted 45 minutes, during which India claimed that Pakistan was targeting civilians along the Line of Control (LoC) posts. The meeting took place between the commanders of Pakistan Rangers and the Border Security Force (BSF) in Pargwal forward belt in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu, in an area where there have been fewer reports of shelling.
“We want peace and we will accept Pakistan Rangers’ proposal that meetings take place at a senior level,” DG BSF Rakesh Shama said. Indian media reported that the ‘ice had been broken’ between the two countries.
On Tuesday, the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the two sides, Lt Gen PR Kumar from India and Maj-Gen Amir Riaz from Pakistan, agreed to hold the flag meeting at the field level.
The DGMOs-level talks between India and Pakistan are held every Tuesday and both sides discuss various issues along the border. Meanwhile, there was pandemonium in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative council on Wednesday over the tabling of a resolution seeking the resumption of India-Pakistan talks.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2014.
India and Pakistan on Wednesday held a commander-level flag meeting to defuse the tension sparked by the recent surge in firing incidents at the volatile border between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The meeting lasted 45 minutes, during which India claimed that Pakistan was targeting civilians along the Line of Control (LoC) posts. The meeting took place between the commanders of Pakistan Rangers and the Border Security Force (BSF) in Pargwal forward belt in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu, in an area where there have been fewer reports of shelling.
“We want peace and we will accept Pakistan Rangers’ proposal that meetings take place at a senior level,” DG BSF Rakesh Shama said. Indian media reported that the ‘ice had been broken’ between the two countries.
On Tuesday, the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the two sides, Lt Gen PR Kumar from India and Maj-Gen Amir Riaz from Pakistan, agreed to hold the flag meeting at the field level.
The DGMOs-level talks between India and Pakistan are held every Tuesday and both sides discuss various issues along the border. Meanwhile, there was pandemonium in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative council on Wednesday over the tabling of a resolution seeking the resumption of India-Pakistan talks.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2014.