Flag meeting: PA Rangers, Indian BSF agree on maintaining peace

HELD SRINAGAR: The Pakistani and Indian border guards held sector commander level flag meeting on international border in Suchetgarh Sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday during which the two sides agreed to maintain peace along the border in the Valley. 

A BSF official said on the request of Pakistan Rangers, a sector commander level flag meeting was held at IB in Suchetgarh area. 

The 18-member BSF delegation was led by DIG BSF Jammu Sector PS Dhiman while Brig Amjad Hussain, Sector Commander Chenab Rangers led the Pakistani delegation comprising 18 officers including 3 wing commanders. 

In the flag meeting, which lasted for about two hours, the BSF officials raised various issues including cross-border firing, facilitation of infiltration attempts by Pakistani troops and detection of tunnel along the border, the BSF official said. 

He said the infiltration attempt on October 18/19 in Bobiya Sector in Hira Nagar Sector, snipping of constable Gurnam Singh, detection of tunnel along international border in Ramgarh sector, infiltration attempts by militants from across IB and firing in Ramgarh sector and other sectors figured prominently during the meeting. 

The official said there have been increased attempts by militants from across the border to sneak into Held Kashmir from international border in Jammu region. “The BSF officials also raised with Pakistan Rangers the issue of J&K police constable Sohan Lal, who had crossed to Pakistan inadvertently in 2014, and demanded that he should be sent back,” the BSF official said. He said other issues related to border management and cross-border smuggling were also discussed. 

According to the official, the BSF officers told the Pakistani Rangers to respect the November 2002 border ceasefire agreement. “The two sides decided to re-energize instant communication between field commanders, whenever required, to resolve petty matters,” BSF official added.