News
Monday, July 02, 2012
Pak delegation reaches India for Rangers-BSF talksLAHORE: A delegation headed by the Sindh Rangers director general and comprising members from Punjab Rangers, Survey of Pakistan, Interior Ministry and ANF arrived in Delhi on Sunday to attend a bi-annual meeting with the Indian BSF being held from July1-5.
According to the Pakistan Rangers spokesman, Sindh Rangers DG Major General Rizwan Akhtar is heading the delegation, while Punjab Rangers DG Major General Mian Mohammad Hilal Hussain is accompanying him. Indian BSF DIG PS Nagara received the delegation at Wagah.
The spokesman said the delegation would discuss issues of mutual interest, including measures to improve peace and tranquility along the international border between the two countries and the working boundary, repatriation of Pakistani fishermen, Pakistani prisoners detained in Indian jails, illegal crossing of border and hostile firing.
The ANF officials will discuss measures to check and control smuggling and promote sharing of intelligence with their counterparts to curb the menace of drug trafficking.
The talks will begin today (Monday) at the BSF headquarters after a guard of honour is presented by the Indian border guards to the visiting delegation.
A joint record of discussions will be signed on July 5, when the talks conclude. Establishing a hotline between the force commanders of the two sides will also be discussed at the meeting, sources said.
Earlier, talks between the field commanders of the two sides used to take place in cities like Jalandhar, Amritsar and Chandigarh. Both the forces have a tradition of holding bi-annual talks, with each side visiting the other country once in a year. Regular flag meetings are held by local commanders on need and emergency bases. The Pakistani delegation was brought in two batches by a special BSF plane from Amritsar. The delegation has been accorded top-level security by the BSF and commandos of Delhi Police, the sources said. imran chaudhry/inp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk