Pak delegation in India for talks between border forces

The Director General-level talks between Border Security Force of India and Pakistan kicks off on Thursday days after parleys between their national security advisors were cancelled with the host nation set to flag the “most important” issue of ceasefire violations and cross-border infiltration.

Amid escalating tensions with two fresh ceasefire violations occurring along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, a 16-member Pakistani delegation arrived in Delhi on Wednesday evening via Amritsar for the three-day talks between the chiefs of the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers that is being held after a gap of over one-and-a-half years.

The Pakistani side is led by Rangers Director General (Punjab) Maj Gen Umar Farooq Burki and was received by BSF DG D K Pathak at the airport with a bouquet and a warm handshake.

Earlier, the Rangers were received at the Attari-Wagah land border near Amritsar by senior BSF commanders of the Punjab frontier at 12:35 pm after which they took a special plane to reach Delhi.

Pathak, after seeing off the delegation at a five-star hotel where they are put up, said he was “hopeful and positive” about the talks.

The Rangers DG will be accorded a guard of honour at the BSF headquarters on Thursday morning after which the two sides will commence their discussions.

The talks between the two sides were last held in December 2013 in Lahore.

The Pakistan delegation includes officials of Sindh Rangers, interior ministry, survey of Pakistan, anti-narcotic force, immigration etc.  

The 23-member Indian side would be headed by Pathak and it is expected to raise issues like ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir, including sniper attacks on BSF personnel and infiltration.

It is the first high level interaction between the two countries after their national security advisor-level talks that was to be held in Delhi on August 23-24 were cancelled due to differences over the agenda.

According to Indian sources, extra stress would be on the “most important” issue of breach of ceasefire in J&K, which has led to loss of lives of civilians and troops and “unprovoked” firing by the Rangers along the International Border.

The issue of “no response” by the other side when BSF waves the ‘white flag’ which is used to indicate stopping of fire and meeting of on-ground commanders of the two sides will also be taken up, the sources said.

“The talks will also endeavour to focus on positive issues like different levels of communication, more simultaneous coordinated patrolling and other confidence building measures,” according to a BSF statement.

The BSF will also take up the issue of intrusion in the ‘Harami Nallah’ area of the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, smuggling of contraband from across the border and illegal movement of suspects up to the zero line area along the IB in order to facilitate illegal activities.

A spokesman of Punjab Rangers said the issue of frequent clashes along the LoC and Working Boundary will be on the top of the agenda.

Image: Pakistan Rangers Director General (Punjab) Major General Umar Farooq Burki is received by BSF IG Anil Paliwal in Attari on Wednesday. A delegation of Pakistan Rangers arrived in India via Attari-Wagha border for DG-level talks between border forces of the two countries. Photograph: PTI