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| United Nations map of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan [Click on the image to expand it] |
New Delhi: India and Pakistan will hold a flag meeting of Brigade
Commanders in Poonch sector on Monday to diffuse tension along the Line of
Control (LoC) on the issue of ceasefire violations.
Earlier, the Indian Army had sent a hotline message to the
Pakistan Army on January 11 asking for a flag meeting to discuss the issues of barbaric
mutilation of two soldiers by Pakistani troops (as India consider).
Both the sides traded fire overnight after a bid by
infiltrators to sneak in was foiled by the Indian army near the Krishnaghati
area in Poonch. However, in exchange of fire no casualties or injuries have been
reported there.
It has been expected that in the flag meeting India may
strongly protest the Pakistani intrusion, beheading of soldier and ceasefire violation
on the border line area.
"Brigade Commanders' flag meeting is being held
tomorrow at Chakan-Da-Bagh LoC point in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir at
noon," Public Relation Officer (PRO), Defence, Col RK Palta told a Indian
news agency.
At New Delhi Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai who had lodged
a strong protest over the barbaric incident has already summoned Pakistani High
Commissioner Salman Bashir.
Confidence Building Measures (CMBs) of cross-LoC trade and
travel are also expected to come up for discussion during the flag meeting.
There are regularly
incidents along the 740-kilometer Line of Control that divides the two
countries in Kashmir, but officials on both sides say these latest killings
represent an escalation in tensions not seen since a cease-fire agreement was
reached in 2003.