Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 24: Troops of India and Pakistan exchanged sweets and greetings on the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Poonch and Jammu sectors on the occasion of ‘Pakistan Day’ yesterday while IG BSF, Jammu Frontiers, Rakesh Sharma visited various forward posts and villages along the IB in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts and declared that `anti-infiltration grid’ was completely in place to thwart any kind of infiltration attempts by the militants.
Army officials of India and Pakistan exchanged sweets and greetings along the LoC at Chakan-Da-Bagh on Poonch-Rawlakote sector and Roshni Post along Mendhar-Mirpur sector in Poonch yesterday on the occasion of ‘Pakistan Day’.
Army officers from Poonch and Mendhar met Pakistan Army officials at Rawlakote and Roshni Posts respectively on the LoC in Poonch district yesterday morning on the occasion of ‘Pakistan Day’ and exchanged sweets and greetings.
Official sources told the Excelsior that both the sides utilized the occasion to reiterate their pledge to maintain peace along the LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and resolve issues of mutual concern amicably through telephonic contacts and flag meetings.
Peace has been prevailing on the LoC for the past quite some time now with guns falling silent after heavy mortar shelling and firing in August-September last year. The people have started working in their fields right up to the LoC.
The meetings between the Army officials of India and Pakistan lasted half an hour at both the places (Chakan-Da-Bagh and Roshni Posts) after which the two sides departed with warm handshake.
“The exchange of sweets on religious festivals and days of historical significance is part of the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan, which would go a long way in promoting harmony and bonhomie along the LoC,” a Defence spokesperson said.
He added that the event (exchange of sweets between Indian and Pakistan along the LoC) is testimony to the good-will generated between the two sides to ensure everlasting peace on the LoC.
On the International Border (IB), BSF and Rangers exchanged sweets at Octroi Post in RS Pura sector and Mangu Chak in Samba sector. Various other small functions were also held at the post level to exchange sweets between BSF and Rangers along the IB in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, which have the IB with Pakistan.
Along the Octroi Post in RS Pura sector, the BSF Company Commander Vikram Singh led a team of BSF officers to share sweets and greetings with the Rangers who were led by the officers of 12 Chenab Wing.
Both the sides were together for over 20 minutes.
It may be mentioned here that it was in the RS Pura sector, where BSF had detected a tunnel dug by the militants with the “active connivance” of Rangers at the AMK Post to facilitate infiltration of militants into the Indian side. Pakistan side was yet to respond to India’s demand for joint probe into construction of the tunnel.
Meanwhile, IG BSF, Jammu Frontiers, Rakesh Sharma yesterday had an extensive tour of the International Border during which he inter-acted with BSF officers and jawans.
In his address, Sharma said a strong ‘anti-infiltration grid’ was in place along the IB to thwart any kind of infiltration attempts by the militants. He added that the BSF was fully alive to the situation and won’t allow any attempt aimed at infiltration of the militants to succeed.
The IG BSF inaugurated newly constructed Border Out Post bat village Katao near Muthi Jhadu in Samba sector, just about 200 meters from the IB, an area which was even under small arms firing range of Pakistan. Prior to construction of Post, the BSF jawans had to be accommodated in temporary structures, which were highly vulnerable to firing by the Rangers.
“With the construction of permanent structures despite repeated objections and interference by Pakistan Rangers, BSF jawans will not be safe from direct fire of small and medium range weapons from across and border and would easily retaliated/neutralize hostile firing by the Rangers,” Sharma said.
The IG BSF also inaugurated “Koohoo Small Arms Firing Range’ for practice firing by the BSF jawans along the border.
“The firing range was conceived by Arvind Ghildiyal, Commandant 9 Battalion BSF and constructed by optimum use of local resources available with unit as a counter to ‘Jojhar Firing Range’ of Pakistan opposite this stretch of the IB,” Sharma said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
