The first flag meeting between the Indian and Pakistani armies in over three years took place today afternoon in the Chorbat La sector under the Kargil-based 8 Mountain Division, between company commanders from both sides. According to South Block sources, the decision to hold such a meeting was taken three weeks ago, following a ‘‘misunderstanding’’ in the Batalik sector. Indian Director General Military Operations Lt Gen B S Takhar had talked to Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Ashraf Kayani over the hotline and a decision was taken to hold a flag meeting.Both sides had also agreed to hold more such meetings across the Line of Control to guard against further ‘‘misunderstandings’’ which could violate the nearly three-month-old ceasefire. While South Block sources are tightlipped over the Batalik sector incident, it is understood there was no exchange of firing. However, both DGMOs spoke to each other during their weekly talk over the hotline and a decision was taken to work towards flag meetings at the level of divisional commanders. The Army will begin by holding flag meetings at the level of company commanders, raise these to the level of commanding officers, and gradually move to divisional commanders. Friday’s flag meeting is considered the first such contact between the two armies in over three years. Such meetings had been suspended when India mobilised its Army soon after the December 13 attack on Parliament. However, the ceasefire, which came into effect late November, has held for the past four months and both armies have given a tacit nod to people-to-people contact across the LoC. According to highly placed sources, both armies have already blessed eight such meetings across the LoC in the Tangdahar sector. The only time when the ceasefire came under a cloud was in early December in the Tangdahar sector, opposite the Lipa Valley in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, when an Indian sentry fired a few shots suspecting an infiltration bid. However, the issue was quickly resolved between the two armies.
