Close X
Thursday, November 28, 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

    Indian-American Man Santhosh Thomas Sentenced To 11 Years For Stealing More Than $100,000

    Indian-American Man Santhosh Thomas Sentenced To 11 Years For Stealing More Than $100,000
    An Indian-American has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for stealing more than $100,000 from a former employer and then skipping bail,

    Indian-American Man Santhosh Thomas Sentenced To 11 Years For Stealing More Than $100,000

    Bomb Blast Outside Bangkok Hindu Shrine Leaves 15 Dead

    Bomb Blast Outside Bangkok Hindu Shrine Leaves 15 Dead
    At least 15 people were killed and 80 wounded when a bomb exploded close to a shrine in the centre of the Thai capital, police said.

    Bomb Blast Outside Bangkok Hindu Shrine Leaves 15 Dead

    Arjun Rampal, Parineeti Chopra Attend Biggest-Ever India Day Parade In New York

    Arjun Rampal, Parineeti Chopra Attend Biggest-Ever India Day Parade In New York
    Thousands of people from the Indian diaspora, Bollywood celebrities and Indian politicians were part of the spectacular 35th annual India Day Parade in New York.

    Arjun Rampal, Parineeti Chopra Attend Biggest-Ever India Day Parade In New York

    Terrorism, UAE Investment In India, Digs At Pakistan: Watch PM Modi's Dubai Speech

    Terrorism, UAE Investment In India, Digs At Pakistan: Watch PM Modi's Dubai Speech
    In a veiled swipe at Pakistan, Modi, while addressing a massive diaspora event in the evening, said India and the UAE have come out against terrorism, "without any camouflage, in clear terms, without caring for anyone

    Terrorism, UAE Investment In India, Digs At Pakistan: Watch PM Modi's Dubai Speech

    Saddest Story: Tragic TB Death of Indian Man Manjit Singh In Australia Highlights Immigration Flaws

    Saddest Story: Tragic TB Death of Indian Man Manjit Singh In Australia Highlights Immigration Flaws
    According to Deputy State Coroner Hugh Dillon, the death of Manjit Singh was one of the saddest stories he ever heard, describing it as a "21st-century retelling" of George Orwell's "How the poor die"

    Saddest Story: Tragic TB Death of Indian Man Manjit Singh In Australia Highlights Immigration Flaws

    Indian Restaurant Owner In Dublin Attacked For Not Serving Drinks

    Indian Restaurant Owner In  Dublin  Attacked For Not Serving Drinks
    An Indian restaurant owner in Ireland was attacked by a drunk man after he was informed that the restaurant had stopped serving alcohol, a media report said on Monday.

    Indian Restaurant Owner In Dublin Attacked For Not Serving Drinks