India, Pak commanders to hold flag meeting today

Srinagar, Jan 14: Brigade commanders of both Indian and Pakistani armies are set to hold a flag meeting at Chakan de bagh in Poonch along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir at 1 pm on Monday.

Islamabad agreed to New Delhi's appeal to hold such a meeting as a confidence-building measure following four days of no ground contact between the armies of the two neighbouring nuclear powers. However, Indian Army reported fresh firing by their Pakistani counterparts at Nangitikri area of Poonch district on Sunday, even after the flag meeting was agreed upon by both sides. The Indian Army also retaliated, reports said.

India is set to bring up the alleged ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops last year. The Indian side has alleged that the violation is being used as a cover for infiltrators and the state police have been put on a high alert to stop any attempt by the militants from crossing over into the Indian territory.

India will also protest the brutal killing of two soldiers last week by the Pakistani troops and send strong warnings against repetition of such incidents. The Indian Army is likely to ask Pakistan to return the severed head of one of its two jawans who were killed on January 8. The Indian Army claimed that the head was taken away by the Pakistan troops.

The family of the jawan whose head was severed, is on an indefinite fast in their village in Uttar Pradesh, demanding the return of his head.

New Delhi alleged that the Pakistani troops violated the LoC and entered the Indian territory to attack its jawans. Pakistan, however, denied the claims and accused India of initiating the aggression. Islamabad also said that it did not mutilate bodies of the Indian soldiers and had proposed a UN enquiry into the issue. New Delhi outrightly refused the proposal.

The argument and counter-argument heated up and India's Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne said India would explore all possible options for Pakistan's repeated violations of the 2003 ceasefire agreement was not acceptable.

The border tension also led to suspension of cross-border trade and bus service between the two neighbours in the Poonch sector.

OneIndia News