BSF, Pak Rangers meet over border tension; 1st time in 6 months

Jammu: The sector commanders of BSF and Pakistani Rangers on Friday held a flag meeting, first in six months, in the Suchetgarh sector here in the aftermath of the recent cross-border skirmishes.

A spokesman for the Border Security Force said both sides agreed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the international border.

"The meeting was held in a cordial and positive atmosphere and both sides agreed to expedite the implementation of the decisions taken in an earlier meeting," he said.

However, he said, the Indian officers made it clear to their Pakistani counterparts that any provocative action would be met by equal or stronger responses.

The 105-minute meeting was held on the request of Pakistan Rangers, the spokesman told PTI.

It was the first Sector Commander-level meeting between the two forces since cross-border clashes escalated two months ago, he said.

The BSF delegation, comprising 17 officers, was led by P S Dhiman, BSF DIG, Jammu Sector. The Sector Commander of Chenab Rangers, Sialkot Punjab, Brig Amjad Hussain, headed the Pakistan delegation of 14 officers, including three Wing Commanders.

The last Sector Commander-level meet between the two forces was held on March 9 2017.

In the meeting today, the spokesman said, the BSF strongly objected to the brutal murder of two BSF soldiers - constables Brijendra Bahadur and K K Appa Rao - who were performing their duties along the border.

"The BSF also protested the unprovoked cross-border firing and shelling on a number of Indian border villages leading to the death of a woman in Arnia sector on September 4," he said, adding that infiltration attempts at night were also discussed.

"The Pakistan Rangers assured to take measures to maintain peace at border with a request that the BSF should also exercise restraint to ensure minimum loss of civilian lives on the Pakistani side," the spokesman said.

He said the two sides decided to re-energise instant communication between the field commanders to resolve petty matters.