Pakistan Rangers list 17 points for upcoming meet with BSF

NEW DELHI: Pakistan Rangers have listed 17 points in their agenda for the upcoming director general-level talks with the Border Security Force on September 9-13.

Officials said the points listed by Pakistan include killings of innocent civilians due to cross-border firing, issues with working boundary at the international border and alleged illegal construction on the Indian side.

The BSF, on its part, has raised the issue of smuggling and infiltration, asking its counterpart to ensure zero tolerance for smugglers. The 25-member delegation headed by DG Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) Major General Umar Farooq Burki is expected to arrive in Delhi on September 9 and first meet high commissioner Abdul Basit at the Pakistan embassy, officials said.

The Indian side plans to propose increased level of communication between the two border guarding forces, officials said. Both sides also plan to take up the burning of elephant grass which acts as a hindrance to patrolling and helps the militants trying to cross over to India.

Pakistan has proposed to set up a mechanism for the return of its citizens who inadvertently cross the border and get arrested by the Indian security forces.