Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 7: Inspector General of BSF, Jammu Frontiers, Rakesh Sharma said today that 70 to 80 per cent agenda in the Director General level BSF-Rangers talks in New Delhi being held from September 9 to 13 will be confined to the issues pertaining to the International Border (IB) in Jammu region and that targeting civilians areas directly by the Rangers would be taken up forcefully in the meeting.
Before leaving for New Delhi this afternoon to join the BSF-Rangers talks, Sharma told the Excelsior that the BSF was looking for good and healthy discussions with the Rangers and hoped that both sides would agree to maintain ceasefire agreement of 2003, which was being frequently violated by the Rangers with violations crossing all limits during past over one and half years, leading to several civilian casualties-both fatal and non-fatal.
Sharma would be an important member of the Indian delegation in the border guard talks, which will be led by Director General of BSF, DK Pathak, who reached New Delhi this morning from the United States. Pakistan side will be represented by Director General Rangers (Punjab) Farooq Ahmad Burki. Each side will have 14 to 15 officers in the delegation.
The Indian delegation will have IGs BSF of all Frontiers including Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat etc, which have boundary with Pakistan. Similarly, the Rangers will also have the officers of an equivalent rank from their side.
“Though Pakistan had been violating ceasefire earlier also, in 2014 and 2015, they have started directly targeting the civilian population, which was against all international norms and conventions, leading to civilian casualties, both fatal and non-fatal apart from causing extensive damage to civilian property and livestock, which was among the major source of livelihood of the border dwellers,” the IG BSF Jammu Frontiers said, adding the BSF has always retaliated very effectively to Pakistan misadventure and inflicted heavy damage on them.
Sharma, however, said the BSF never targets Pakistani civilians.
“Whenever, we are targeted by the Rangers, we take time to retaliate to give enough time to their civilians to take cover. Sometimes, we even didn’t retaliate but when provocations from the other side crossed limits, we are left with no options but to return the firing,” he added.
Sharma said though all issues pertaining to the International Border in the country and others related matters would figure in the DG level dialogue, “I presume that 70 to 80 per cent issues will pertain to International Boundary in Jammu as majority of ceasefire violations, civilian killings and infiltration attempts were taking place in Jammu sector right from Akhnoor to Kathua.
“These three issues-ceasefire violations by resorting to heavy shelling and firing on BSF posts and civilian areas, civilian casualties and infiltration attempts by the militants under the cover of shelling and firing-mainly pertained to Jammu sector”.
Expressing hope that the DG level talks will lead to “fruitful results” and peace will prevail on the borders, Sharma said: “the peace and maintenance of ceasefire was in the best interest of both the countries as it will directly help the civilian population, which was living right up to the borders and have fields there, which fetch them their livelihood”.
Sharma said if the peace prevailed on the borders, not only the people on both sides will be able to cultivate their crops right up to the Zero Line but schools and colleges would function smoothly and help students and small business of the people will also run freely.
“Though, we expect Pakistan to respond to our peace talks, at the same time, we will not tolerate ceasefire violations, sniping incidents, targeting our civilian population. All this is not acceptable,” the IG BSF said but added that it would be the BSF’s endeavour to give peace a chance so that friendly atmosphere prevails on the borders.
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