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India, Pakistan militaries hold flag meeting on Kashmir LoC to defuse tension

Xinhua, September 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

The militaries of India and Pakistan Monday held a flag level meeting on line-of-control (LoC) in Kashmir to end cease-fire violations, officials said.

The meeting was held at Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point close to LoC in frontier Poonch district, around 185 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A brigade commanders'-level flag meeting was held today at Chakan-Da-Bagh between the army officers of Indian and Pakistan," an Indian army spokesman S N Acharaya said. "The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and issues regarding ongoing cease-fire violations, targeting of civilians along LoC were discussed."

According to Acharaya both sides mutually agreed to exercise restraint and take steps to defuse volatile situation during an hour-long meeting.

Skirmishes along LoC in frontier Poonch and Rajouri districts escalated in last three weeks has resulted in many deaths ( including civilians) and collateral damage to properties.

Indian side was represented by Brigadier H S Sareen while as Brigadier Osman led the Pakistani side.

Director Generals of India's Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers met in New Delhi and decided to devise new strategies along the International Border (IB) and LoC to put an end to incidents of cease-fire violations.

However, the recent agreement failed to stop troops on both sides from targeting each other with heavy gunfire and mortars.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accused each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintained that their troops gave befitting reply.

The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on 720 km-long LoC and 198 km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe a cease-fire. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts. The LoC is heavily guarded by military on both sides.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endi