India-Pakistan brigade level meeting begins in Poonch

Jammu, Jan 17: A brigadier-level flag meeting of the Indian and

armies began on Friday morning on the Line of Control (LoC) in

's Poonch district.

The meeting began at the Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point at 11.30 a.m., a defence ministry spokesman said.

"The agenda is to discuss the recent ceasefire violation in the area and take steps to ensure peace and tranquillity on the LoC," the spokesman said.

Pakistani troops had fired at Indian positions in the Krishna Ghati area of the LoC in Poonch district on Jan 13.

The meeting began at the Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point at 11.30 am.

The army said the ceasefire had been violated to facilitate infiltration of guerrillas into the Indian side, but this was successfully foiled.

This was the first ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army this year.

Following a large number of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops on the LoC in 2013, the DGMOs of the two countries had met at Wagah near Amritsar after 14 years last Dec 24.

It was decided that meetings at the local commanders level would be held from time to time to ensure peace and tranquillity on the LoC.

India and Pakistan signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement in 2003 which has by far and large ensured a modicum of peace in the lives of thousands of people living on the two sides of the LoC in divided Kashmir.

IANS