JOIN USBSF, Rangers discuss IB violations
The three-day Director General-level talks between BSF and Pakistan Rangers began here on Thursday with both sides deciding to find out new ways to put an end to ceasefire violations on the International Border.
Both sides agreed to continue the discussions on Friday to finalise new protocols and strategies to deal with ceasefire violations.The dialogue between the two border guarding forces is happening weeks after the cancellation of parleys between the National Security Advisers of both the countries.
The 16-member Pakistani delegation led by Pakistan Rangers DG (Punjab) Major General Umar Farooq Burki was engaged in talks with the Indian side led by BSF DG D K Pathak.
Sources said discussions on day one were “cordial” and “positive” with India raising the issue of ceasefire violations and cross-border infiltration. The cordial nature of the talks was underlined by the sources, who said both sides agreed to extend their talks to Friday.
As per agenda, the Pak team was to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his South Block office and later meet staff and officials in the Pakistan High Commission.
However, now a special session has been squeezed in to finalise it. On Saturday, a joint record of discussions was to be signed between the two sides after which the visitors were to leave for Islamabad.
“The talks went on in a very cordial manner and we are happy about it,” Pathak was quoted by PTI as saying.
Sources said Pakistan raised the issue of killing of their soldiers by Indian forces. BSF officials said they could also fish out numbers but that would not take them anywhere. “We should not delve in the past. We should look towards future,” the Indian side told their Pakistani counterparts. Pakistani officials agreed to this point and this led to the decision to extend the session.
They said the two sides agreed that maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the border is the “most important issue” and this needs to be implemented on the ground.
Indian side also agreed to a Pakistani suggestion to jointly patrol mutually identified areas on the border, sources said.