Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 14: After a long gap, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Rangers today held Commandant and Wing Commander level flag meeting at Suchetgarh sector in RS Pura tehsil in which they decided to maintain peace and tranquility along the International Border (IB).
This was the first flag meeting between BSF and Rangers after heavy ceasefire violations on the International Border post-September 29 surgical strikes by the Indian Army in which 50 Pakistani militants and army personnel were killed.
Official sources said the flag meeting was held at the request of Pakistani Rangers, who wanted return of retired Pakistan army personnel, arrested by the BSF in Ramgarh sector of Samba district on the intervening night of December 12 and 13.
Official spokesman of the BSF said the BSF and Rangers promised to maintain peace and tranquility on the International Border during the flag meeting between the two sides that lasted about half an hour and was attended by Commandant and Wing Commander level officers of the BSF and Rangers respectively.
Sources said the flag meeting was held in cordial atmosphere.
Since November 1 this year, there has been no major incident of ceasefire violations along the International Border. Six civilians were killed in Pakistan firing in Ramgarh sector on Samba district on November 1. The ceasefire violations had continued almost the entire month of October with Pakistan side suffering heavy casualties of Rangers and damages in retaliatory firing by the BSF.
However, no flag meeting was held between the two sides then.
Sources said Pakistani Rangers called up the BSF on hotline this morning and sought return of their retired Army personnel, Mohammad Baksh, who was arrested in Ramgarh sector of Samba district on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
The Rangers cited humanitarian ground including old age and family commitments of Mohammad Bakshi for his repatriation. The BSF agreed and accordingly Baksh was handed over to the Rangers at the flag meeting held at Suchetgarh sector this afternoon.
Baksh, 70, a resident of Sialkot, Pakistan was handed over to the Rangers.
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