No resolution at Indo-Pak Flag meeting

JAMMU: The flag meeting between defence officials of India and Pakistan, at Chakan Da Bagh near the Line of Control in Poonch on Monday ended without any resolution. Sources said the meeting on the Zero Line, between Brigadier TS Sandhu and his Pakistani counterpart, lasted just 15 minutes.

The two were assisted by over a dozen field commanders from the two sides. Brig. Sandhu is understood to have conveyed India’s outrage over the brutal killing of two soldiers of the 13 Rajputana Rifles regiment by a joint Border Action Team of Pakistan’s 29 Baloch regiment commandos and militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba, near Chattri post in Mendhar area of Poonch on January 8.

Sandhu made it clear to the other side that India reserved the right to retaliate until there was public apology besides returning the severed head of Lance Naik Hemraj and the weapons looted from the two slain soldiers. He demanded an assurance that there would be no repeat of such an “unprecedented and unprofessional heinous act” and made it clear that the Indian Army would respond to such a violation of the November 2003 ceasefire with “appropriate and quick response”. There was no discussion on restoration of cross-LoC trade and travel that remains suspended since January 10.

As many as 65 trucks loaded with perishables have returned to Poonch and Rajouri and over a hundred passengers have been stranded on either side of LoC in the Jammu-Poonch sector on the Indian side and the Hajeera-Rawalakote area across the border.

The Pakistanis repeated the “false and fabricated” allegations that Indian troops crossed the LoC and killed one of their soldier’s and injured another, adds PTI.