Journalism of Courage
Pakistan may have called off the NSA-level talks with India after a high-decibel spat over the agenda but both sides are set to continue their bilateral engagement with a possible meeting between the Director Generals of the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers on September 6.
The two sides are expected to meet in New Delhi to discuss the situation on the Line of Control and the international boundary between India and Pakistan.
Official sources told The Indian Express that both sides would be initiating discussions on Monday to firm up the logistics and the agenda for the talks between the DGs of BSF and Pakistan Rangers.
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Officials from the ministries of External Affairs, Home and Defence will also be part of these consultations next week.
“The issue of ceasefire violations, and peace and tranquility on the border is extremely crucial, since there has been a surge of violations since the meeting of the two PMs in Ufa (Russia). The numbers are anywhere between 70 to 91, depending on which side is putting out the figures. In this sort of a situation, the two border forces need to talk to each other so that more lives are not lost,” a top government functionary said.
The talks also gives the two sides a chance to get an understanding of each other’s attitudes at the military level.
Government sources pointed out that Pakistan’s ISI chief Rizwan Akhtar was earlier the DG (Rangers) and had visited India last time. Today, he is one of the few ISI chiefs about whom Indian officials have a direct knowledge and understanding about. “So such meetings also have unintended but high-value consequences sometimes,” an Indian official said.
New Delhi and Islamabad have been discussing dates for the DG-level meetings since July — initially the dates considered were between September 9 and 13, but later it was agreed that the meeting would be held on September 6.
The meeting of the DGMOs, which was another decision taken at the Prime Ministers’ meeting in Ufa, has not yet been decided.
Meanwhile, sources said that New Delhi and Islamabad are now “reflecting” on how to move ahead after the spat over the NSA-level talks.
A Pakistan government source pointed out how External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had on Saturday compared the relationship to a road “full of potholes” and said that although the journey was never smooth, both sides would have to talk to each other sooner or later. “We have to pick up the threads after the avoidable acrimony,” the source said.
While the two sides are not yet planning a meeting between Modi and Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, sources in New Delhi said they were “wary” of such a move, particularly after Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz said that he would “hand over” a dossier on R&AW’s alleged involvement in Pakistan.
A final decision would be taken closer to the date, taking into account all factors, sources said.
