Pakistan has confirmed the dates for the meeting between DG Border Security Force (BSF) and DG Pakistan Rangers, even though it has pulled out of an international meet on drugs and narcotics slated for next month, official sources said on Wednesday. According to sources, the DG-level talks will take place from September 9 to 13 in New Delhi.
Sources said BSF and Pakistan Rangers have handed over to each other the agenda papers, in which both want to discuss the issue of repeated ceasefire violations. The BSF is keen to take up the issue of infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan, the recent one in Gurdaspur and Udhampur, sources said.
The Indian border guards also want to take up the issue of the smuggling of fake Indian currency notes and drugs as also <g data-gr-id="35">unauthorised</g> construction of defence infrastructure, they said.
Confirmation by Pakistan for the DG-level talks comes despite it calling off the NSA talks last week, after India made it clear that Kashmiri separatist leaders would not be allowed to meet Pakistani NSA Sartaj Aziz during his visit to the <g data-gr-id="37">countey</g>.
The decision on meeting of NSAs and heads of border guards was taken during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at Ufa in Russia on July 10.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has backed out of a meeting on drug abuse and smuggling in the Asia-Pacific region, which was expected to take place next month. Sources said Pakistan has expressed regret that it would not be attending the meeting to be held in the national Capital, in which South Asian countries of ‘Colombo Plan’ were to participate.
The ‘Colombo Plan’ was formed in 1951 at the Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs with an aim of bringing about Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific regions.
It has 27 member countries at present including the US, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan’s absence at the conference is seen as a setback since the country is one of the sources and important <g data-gr-id="41">route</g> of drug smuggling into Central Asia and Europe, the sources said.
Meanwhile, two live mortar shells were found in a stream in Budgam district of Kashmir on Wednesday, police said. Acting on a <g data-gr-id="40">tip off</g>, a police party from <g data-gr-id="39">Khag</g> police station found two live Mortar shells in a stream at Shanglipora, a police spokesman said. He said the services of 19 Mahar Regiment, which is camping in the village, was sought to defuse the explosives and efforts are on to neutralise the shells.
More Kashmiri men taking to militancy: Top Army commander
Increasing number of Kashmiri men are joining militancy and this is a matter of concern, a top army commander said on Wednesday, while talking about the strategy of Pakistan-based terror groups to focus on recruiting locals after their “failure” to push in terrorists. Outgoing Commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha said “several motives” are being exploited by recruiters, including religious radicalisation, discontent due to personal or academic failures, links with terrorists and over-ground workers and desire for recognition or status. “Any youth joining <g data-gr-id="64">terrorists</g> ranks is a cause of concern,” he said.
Gen Saha, who is moving to Army Headquarters in Delhi for his next assignment, said: “attempts of infiltration” from across the border had increased this year but “the attempts have resulted in their failure”. Meanwhile, Lt Gen SK Dua on Wednesday took over the reins of Srinagar-based Chinar Corps from Lt Gen Saha, who is taking over as the next Director General Military Operations. “Lt Gen Saha handed over the charge of General officer Commanding of 15 Corps to Lt Gen Dua at BadamiBagh Cantonment here,” a defence spokesman said.
Naved records confessional statement before court
LeT terrorist Naved Yakub, a Pakistani, made a confessional statement before a magistrate in the city on Wednesday. He talked about the role of the terror outfit in carrying out strikes like the Udhampur attack in J&K. Under tight security, Naved, in his early 20s, was brought before a magistrate in the morning, where the judge asked him whether he was giving the confessional statement under duress or voluntarily, sources said. After receiving answers in the affirmative, the judge asked him to come after lunch. He was produced before the court at 1 pm and the recording of his statement continued till 4.30 pm during which he is understood to have given his family background, role of LeT in Kashmir and execution of August 5 attack on BSF convoy, in which two personnel were killed.