A meeting between senior military officers from India and Pakistan was convened on Friday at the Chakkad-da-Bagh crossing in Poonch district. The meeting aimed to discuss the recent violations of the ceasefire and work toward restoring peace and stability along the contested border. This was prompted by the recent flare-up in cross-border firing and increasing tensions along the Line of Control (LoC).
Background of The Rising Tensions
A series of areas have witnessed ceasefire violations along the LoC, which divides Indian-administered and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Among some of them are the regrettable loss of two Indian Army personnel and the injury of another soldier in an IED attack in the Akhnoor sector on February 11, random small arms fire on February 10 and 14 in the Rajouri and Poonch districts casually led to the injury of Indian soldiers. These acts have marked the breaking of the peace that had been carefully maintained since the reaffirmation of the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.
Details of The Flag Meeting
As per official sources, the meeting, which started at 11 am and lasted for about an hour and 15 minutes, was held in a cordial atmosphere. The Indian mission was headed by Brigadier H.S. Sareen, while the Pakistanis were represented by Brigadier Osman. Both sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace along the LoC and agreed on sticking to the ceasefire in the larger interest of regional stability.
The Indian delegation, during the discussions, raised serious concerns about the recent spate of ceasefire violations and attacks on civilian areas leading to casualties and displacement of local populations. The Pakistani side was requested to exercise restraint and thereby not engage in any activities that could further escalate the situation.
