Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 8: Ahead of tomorrow’s crucial talks between Director Generals (DGs) of BSF and Rangers, the first high level contact between India and Pakistan after July 10 Ufa declaration between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharief, both sides today filed written replies to 15-17 points agenda given to each other earlier as India geared up to take forcefully the issue of border shelling with Pakistan.
Though the BSF-Rangers talks are an annual feature, this is for the first time that they are meeting after takeover of Narendra Modi Government in the country. The dialogue is being held after two and half years. The last time the two sides had met in New Delhi in March 2013. In 2014, both sides had finalized dates for talks and even exchanged the agenda but the dialogue was called at the eleventh hour due to border tensions. Similarly, the two sides were scheduled to meet in March 2015 but the talks were delayed.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the BSF has replied to all 16 points raised by the Rangers in writing as part of five days meeting agenda. The Rangers have also followed the practice and given their replies to the points raised by the BSF for talks, which will begin tomorrow in New Delhi at the BSF Headquarters and culminate on September 12.
“The BSF has geared up to host the Rangers. Though they (the Pakistani Rangers) had been repeatedly violating ceasefire and resorting to mortar shelling and heavy arms firing killing and injuring civilians and disturbing the crop season along the International Border. Still, we will host them very well for four days as per the tradition of annual talks, which are hosted by both the nations turn-by-turn,” sources said.
Sources said the Indian side in its reply to the Pakistani points has categorically stated that it was Pakistani, which has always initiated firing on the International Border and directly targeted the civilians. The reply said that the BSF never started firing first but had only retaliated.
“Even we retaliated more than half an hour after Pakistani shelling and firing to give ample time to the civilians to take cover in safer areas as we want to avoid civilian casualties at any cost. However, this is not the case with the Rangers, who not only start the firing first but even directly target the civilian areas leading to casualties, both fatal and non-fatal on the Indian side,” sources said.
Only few days back, three civilians including two women were killed and 17 others were injured in Pakistan shelling in RS Pura and Arnia sectors. Prior to that, six civilians were killed and 20 others were injured in the shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector of Poonch.
Sources said the BSF was confident that the two sides would reach broad understanding on maintenance of 2003 ceasefire agreement so that the border people live peacefully and cultivate their crops on the Zero Line.
Pakistan has also filed replies to the agenda given by the BSF in which they have leveled counter allegation on the BSF of not only initiating the firing on the borders but killing their 11 civilians and injuring 50 others opposite Arnia and RS Pura sectors.
BSF has taken up the issue of infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan, with the particular case being the recent one in which the infiltrators struck in Gurdaspur and Udhampur. In both terror attacks, the militants have been confirmed as Pakistani nationals with one of them Mohammad Naved Yaqub having been captured alive by the people after attack on BSF at Narsu, Samroli in Udhampur district on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
The BSF has given written and scientific evidence of the militants’ infiltration from Pakistan to the Rangers, which they have denied ignoring the evidence. The BSF will, however, confront the Rangers with more evidence during the talks.
The Indian side will also take up the issue of smuggling of Fake Indian Currency Notes and drugs as also unauthorized construction of defence infrastructure, sources said.
The decision on meeting of NSAs and heads of border guards was taken during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Ufa, Russia, on July 10.
Sources said the points listed by Pakistan include killings of innocent civilians due to cross-border firing, issues with working boundary at the International Border and alleged illegal construction on the Indian side.
The Indian side planned to propose increased level of communication between the two border guarding forces, sources said. Both sides also plan to take up the burning of elephant grass which acts as a hindrance to patrolling and helps the militants trying to cross over to India.
Pakistan has proposed to set up a mechanism for the return of its citizens who inadvertently cross the border and get arrested by the BSF.
PTI adds from New Delhi:-
“The talks will also endeavour to focus on positive issues like different levels of communication, more simultaneous coordinated patrolling and other confidence building measures,” a BSF statement said.
According to 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 IB. 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 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.
Pakistan had last month sent confirmation and agenda for these DG-level which included issues like the alleged use of objectionable language by troops on the Indian side and air space violations by suspected unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to Pakistan High Commission sources, serious concerns on the infiltration from the Indian side in Punjab and Rajasthan and who were involved in sabotage activities there will be raised during the talks.
The Pakistani delegation will also stress on the activation of the UNMOGIP (UN Military Observer Group in Indian and Pakistan), they said. However, India has always maintained that the UN group has lost its relevance and therefore, was redundant.
Pakistan has also listed alleged construction of defence infrastructure along the border, firing by taking aid of ‘Sarkanda’ (thick bushes), no response on Simultaneous Coordinated Patrolling (SCP) along this frontier, smuggling and apprehension and killing of civilians in their agenda for talks.
The Rangers have also alleged that the Indian side has not been responding to their request of flag meetings when they desire and have claimed use of heavy ammunition by India during cross-border firing.
The delegation which will also have second Rangers DG (Sindh) Maj Gen Bilal Akbar is expected to cross over the Attari-Wagah land border in Punjab by 12 noon tomorrow and after a ceremonial reception by BSF commanders, they will leave from Amritsar airport on a special BSF plane for Delhi.
The talks will begin on September 10 after a ceremonial guard of honour by the BSF at their headquarters here and a joint record of discussions will be signed on September 12 by the two DGs.
The ties between the two sides have been strained because of ceasefire violations along the International Border and the Line of Control and other issues.
The two sides will also stress for the release of prisoners in the jails of the either countries.
Meanwhile, Wives of senior officials of Pakistan Rangers will not be accompanying their husbands this time as the high-level delegation arrives here tomorrow for their four-day visit and bilateral talks with BSF here.
Officials said while about half-a-dozen ladies were initially supposed to come to India apart from the 15-member official delegation, their names were withdrawn by the other side a few days back.
The last time, in 2012, the Rangers delegation arrived here for the bi-annual Director General-level talks, the wives had accompanied the delegation.
“Wives of senior paramilitary or military officials accompanying their husbands during such visits is a practise that is seen world over. India and Bangladesh forces have this tradition for so many years and even the Pakistani side had brought the ladies the last time. At the last moment, this time, it was informed that they will not be coming,” officials said.
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