Summary
35-min flag meeting held at Pargwal in Jammu.
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India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan’s Chenab Rangers held a flag meeting in Pargwal area of Jammu Wednesday and blamed each other for the 45-day long ceasefire violations along the International Border. This a day after the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries spoke to each other on phone and agreed to de-escalate the tension on the border. India had conveyed its concern to Pakistan for continuous ceasefire violations by the Rangers.
Sources said the 35-minute long flag meeting held near BSF’s Nikowal post along the International Border was convened following request from Chenab Rangers. BSF registered a strong protest with the Rangers for targeting its posts and civilian areas with heavy mortar shelling, and handed them proof of their involvement in the unprovoked firing, sources said. The Rangers, in turn, denied it saying that the trouble started from Indian side. However, both sides agreed to maintain peace long the border as per the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries. Official sources said the flag meeting took place in a “cordial atmosphere’’.
Three civilians had died and 17 others, including four BSF personnel, were injured in the firing and shelling on the Indian side by Pakistani Rangers since July 16. The Rangers, in turn, referred to the loss of life and damage to property in the BSF firing on their side during the same period.
During a tour of R S Pura and Arnia sectors, BSF Director General D S Pathak had said firing by Pakistan Rangers in the last 45 days was the heaviest since 1971 India-Pakistan war.
BSF makes presentation to Rajnath
By: Vijaita Singh
New Delhi: The Border Security Force (BSF), in a presentation to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the ongoing ceasefire violations from Pakistan’s side, said they were “battle-ready” and, in the past two months, the neighbouring country had violated the ceasefire 138 times.
There were 130 such violations in 2013. Singh is going to visit the forward areas in J&K on August 30.
In the 45-minute presentation, the BSF informed the minister that while the reason behind the shelling at the border was still a “mystery”, three probable reasons could be infiltration, internal turmoil in Pakistan (the Indian posts being attacked to divert attention) and the Pakistani Army wanting to keep the border issue burning as they take control of the Pakistan Rangers.
“The Home Minister was keen to know the reasons behind the sudden spurt in violations but we told him about the three probable reasons. We gave him a lowdown on the border situation and traced the firing when it started on July 17,” a senior official told The Indian Express.
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