World

Pakistan, India border chiefs agree to lower tensions in Kashmir

Heads of India's Border Security Force and the Pakistani Rangers met in New Delhi to find ways to de-escalate tensions

Reuters September 11, 2015

Pakistani rangers (wearing black uniforms) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) officers lower their national flags during a daily parade at the Pakistan-India joint check-post at Wagah border, near Lahore November 3, 2014. PHOTO: REUTERS

NEW DELHI: Pakistani and Indian border forces agreed on Friday to maintain restraint along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary, as they sought to defuse tensions that have been heightened in recent months by militant attacks that each side blames the other for.

The heads of India's Border Security Force and the Pakistani Rangers met in New Delhi for a second day on Friday, to find ways to de-escalate tensions along the border as part of a series of measures agreed by the leaders of the two countries in July.

The border chiefs agreed to hold back cross-border firing and not to retaliate immediately to violations of a 15-year ceasefire, an Indian interior ministry official said.

Read: Border guards of India, Pakistan agree to end ceasefire violations

"Both have decided not to immediately retaliate against firing from either side and to contact the other side to know the cause of firing," the official said, reading from a draft text the two governments agreed.

Tens of thousands of soldiers are massed on either side of Kashmir, one of the world's most militarised regions, and in recent months they have stepped up cross-border firing.

Last month, at least nine people were killed by the firings on the day the nuclear-armed neighbours marked the 50th anniversary of a war between them.

Pakistan says India had violated the ceasefire over 70 times in two months.

India claims that Pakistani soldiers provide cover firing to help militants cross over and carry out attacks in its part of Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has promised a tougher response to such violations than previous administrations, and last year the two armies engaged in the most serious exchanges since the 2003 ceasefire.

Pakistan denies giving material support to the Kashmir militants, but blames India for refusing to hold talks to resolve the 68-year-old territorial dispute.

Modi cancelled top level talks between the national security advisers of the two countries last month, objecting to Pakistan's plan to meet Kashmiri separatists. But the two governments agreed to let the border chiefs meet.

The two forces will have greater communication to ensure things do not spiral out of control, the Indian official said.

COMMENTS (3)

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply It is good to hear that in their meeting in New Delhi, the heads of India’s Border Security Force and the Pakistani Rangers have agreed to hold back cross-border firing and not to retaliate immediately to violations of a 15-year ceasefire.. And instead of retaliating immediately, which can escalate with retaliation and counter-retaliation, they have decided to contact the other side to know the cause of firing (with a view to finding a peaceful solution to the problem). Hopefully, this will bring to an end the needless firing between the two sides which saw nine innocent people killed on the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war between the two neighbours. The Western countries have learnt their lesson and after fighting bitter world wars, they are now on the best of terms with each other and are living together in a spirit of peace and cooperation to the mutual benefits of them all. And here we are, India and Pakistan, both poor countries which can least afford wars, constantly getting at each others throat and have already fought a few futile, unnecessary and wasteful wars. And while Pakistan is showing utmost restraint, Indian forces, which have violated ceasefire seventy times during the last two months, are constantly trying to incite Pakistan to start what they consider a limited war, not realizing that with both neighbours being nuclear armed, any such misadventure could easily escalate to a nuclear confrontation to the mutual destruction of both countries. And while the expert opinion is that in a nuclear confrontation, India stands to lose more, such an outcome will hardly benefit Pakistanis suffering death, destruction and much more, even though on a relatively smaller scale. I hope both countries make sensible choices and this ceasefire agreement brings long-lasting peace between the two neighbours. And then, attempt is made to solve the problems between the two countries which it should not be too difficult to do so long as both countries demonstrate goodwill towards each other and understand that the solution will only be possible in a spirit of give-and-take. Karachi

Tight Patloon | 8 years ago | Reply Pakastan is a nuclear power. India is frightened of our nuclear power

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Replying to X