Close X
Friday, September 27, 2024
ADVT 
International

Let's Talk About Future: India To Pakistan At Border Force Talks

IANS, 10 Sep, 2015 12:23 PM
    India on Thursday asked Pakistan to "talk about the future" as border security forces of both countries sat across the table here for a meeting.
     
    Highly-placed sources in the Border Security Force (BSF) said India did most of the talking on the first day of the director-general level talks with the Pakistan Rangers, and all issues including ceasefire violations and sniper firing targeting Indian soldiers were raised.
     
    The talks concluded "cordially" and both sides agreed to take steps to start coordinated patrolling at the border, as well as to monitor ceasefire violations.
     
    An accord will also be signed between the two sides on Saturday, the last day of the director-general level talks.A
     
    "India did most of the talking and Pakistan was receptive. The talks concluded in a cordial manner," an official told IANS.
     
    "Pakistan mentioned some incidents of the past. We said we would not gain anything from the past. We said if you have 20 points, we have 40 points. Let's device a system so that this situation is controlled," the official said.
     
    The Pakistani delegation, according to the source, also said that they were under pressure from civil society for maintaining peace, and said they had the responsibility of protecting civilians as the Indian side.
     
    The sources said the major focus was to open more channels of communication, opening sector level communications and taking it to battalion and post level.
     
    Pakistan, meanwhile, raised the issue of airspace violation.
     
    India raised the issue of infiltration, and questioned how the Pakistan Rangers could not be aware of it.
     
    Sources said the Rangers said they were unable to check infiltration.
     
    "They said they don't have hi-tech infrastructure along the border like India," an official said.
     
    The sources added that Pakistan did not raise the issue of involving a third party for monitoring truce violations.
     
    According to reports, Pakistan had listed in its agenda a revived role for the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) for intervening in ceasefire violations.
     
    The BSF and the Pakistan Rangers are meeting amid a growing war of words and firing from across the border, and the talks assume special significance as earlier scheduled talks between national security advisers of India and Pakistan was called off following disagreement over discussing Kashmir issue.
     
    The decision for reviving the meeting was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at their meeting in Ufa.
     
    It was envisaged in the meeting that the top leadership of both the border guarding forces will meet periodically and discuss issues of relevance to both the forces.
     
    Issues requiring coordinated efforts like dealing with drug menace, smuggling, simultaneous coordinated patrolling, timely exchange of information etc. were to form the core of discussions.
     
    The last BSF-Pakistan Rangers meeting was held on December 24-28, 2013 in Lahore.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Charlie Hebdo Attack: Seven Killed As Paris Double Hostage Crisis Ends

    Charlie Hebdo Attack: Seven Killed As Paris Double Hostage Crisis Ends
    At least seven people were killed Friday, including three gunmen, after security forces brought to an end two tense hostage dramas in separate locations in the French capital.

    Charlie Hebdo Attack: Seven Killed As Paris Double Hostage Crisis Ends

    Over to you, Obama: Nebraska court clears path for presidential decision on Keystone

    Over to you, Obama: Nebraska court clears path for presidential decision on Keystone
    WASHINGTON — The Keystone XL pipeline decision now rests in President Barack Obama's hands, with a Nebraska court clearing an obstacle that has delayed a decision on the Canadian project.

    Over to you, Obama: Nebraska court clears path for presidential decision on Keystone

    Report into fatal plane crash in NWT shows plane was damaged, pilot felt ill

    Report into fatal plane crash in NWT shows plane was damaged, pilot felt ill
    IVANHOE LAKE, N.W.T. — Investigators say a pilot killed in a crash in the Northwest Territories made poor choices, including taking off in a damaged plane.

    Report into fatal plane crash in NWT shows plane was damaged, pilot felt ill

    Paris Carnage: Fugitive Charlie Hebdo Killers 'Abandon Car and Hide out in Woods'

    Paris Carnage: Fugitive Charlie Hebdo Killers 'Abandon Car and Hide out in Woods'
    Two of the suspects involved in the attack on a magazine office in Paris were reportedly spotted in northern France Thursday while a third surrendered to police as France went into mourning a day after the tragedy.

    Paris Carnage: Fugitive Charlie Hebdo Killers 'Abandon Car and Hide out in Woods'

    Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake Strikes Off West Coast Of Vancouver Island

    Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake Strikes Off West Coast Of Vancouver Island
    TOFINO, B.C. — Houses shook, dishes broke and some residents of Tofino, B.C., thought an explosion or car accident occurred, but there was no tsunami or major damage reported by a 4.6 magnitude earthquake.

    Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake Strikes Off West Coast Of Vancouver Island

    Charlie Hebdo Attack: One Suspect Surrenders In Paris

    Charlie Hebdo Attack: One Suspect Surrenders In Paris
    The three suspects were later identified and named in a police document circulated to regional forces as Hamyd Mourad, 18, and brothers Said Kouachi, 32 and Cherif Kouachi, 34.

    Charlie Hebdo Attack: One Suspect Surrenders In Paris