On Thursday, Director General of the Border Security Force, U K Bansal and Chief of Pakistan Rangers MaJor General Rizwan Akhtar agreed to curb the practice of cross border firing along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir. The 4 day dialogue regarding border management has concluded with the joint record of the discussions being signed on Thursday.

“Non-violent modalities of setting up meeting shall be used in case communication between both the parties is required. Firing along the IB would be avoided in all possible cases. All troopers would be informed not to fire along the borders and such a step could be extremely beneficial to both the sides”, Akhtar said.

Bansal and Akhtar agreed that inadvertent border crossing would be considered with a humanitarian view after proper veriification of identity, intention of crossing and other matters to avoid the arrest of the persons. “Repatriation of the innocent people crossing the border is a positive step that has been discussed today”, Bansal said.

Akhtar commenting on the narcotic smuggling across the border said “If the suitable measures are implemented in the true spirit, a proper check can be put to the third parties taking advantage of the borders”.

Bansal said “Both paties have noticed that certain extent of lantation has been happening on the borders which can be a hindrance in the management of border secrity. Measures will be taken to note the plantations which are objectionable to the other party”.

AW- Anil