Sweet and Sour at Borders: India, Pak exchange sweets, bullets

Sweet and Sour at Borders: India, Pak exchange sweets, bullets

JAMMU/POONCH, Jan 26: On the occasion of 63rd Republic Day, India and Pakistani troops today exchanged both bullets and sweets at International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC).

Reports from Akhnoor said that a Pakistani infiltrator was shot dead by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel today while trying to cross the Indo-Pak border in Akhnoor sector.

BSF troops observed movement of the infiltrator from Pakistani side along the International Border (IB) near Mala Bela Border out Post (BoP), in the wee hours today, reports said, adding that the troops first asked the intruder to stop. They fired at him after he did not heed the warning.

The body of the intruder remained lying near the zero line and BSF held a flag meeting with its Pakistani counterpart to register a complaint and hand over the body to them.

The body was recovered inside the Indian territory and later handed over back to Pakistan Rangers, reports said, adding that it is for the first time that Pak Rangers have accepted a Pakistani intruder's body, which was handed over to them by BSF.

The officials said the identity of the intruder is not known. "We cannot say as of now if he was a militant or their associate," the official added.

In another incident, Pakistani rangers fired three rounds targetting the forward Indian Post Bakarpur in RS Pura sector this morning.

Official reports said that three rounds were fired from Pakistan’s Uchawala Post aiming at Bakarpur Post at 8.45 AM. Indian troops did not retaliate while no loss of life or property was reported in the firing.

However, later at noon, Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged sweets at BoP Octroi on 63rd Republic Day. Officiating Commandant 135 Battalion BSF Manoj Karki handed over sweets to his counterpart Major Mukhtiyar of 12 Chenab Range. The officers among others exchanged greetings on the occasion.

Reports from Poonch said that India and Pakistan army also exchanged sweets at the LoC.
Pakistan Army today wished their Indian counterparts ‘Happy Republic Day’ at Rah-e-Milan Chakan-Da- Bagh. Paksistani Army officers handed over sweets and gifts to their Indian counterparts while Indian army also gave sweets to Pakistani Army officials present there.

The sweet were exchanged at 10.00 AM in which Lt Colonel Ankur (CO 21 Bihar) and Captain SS Sehgal represented the Indian army and Colonel Javaid CO (653 Mujahid) and Major Niaz represents Pak army.
Interacting with KTNS on the sidelines of the sweets exchange ceremony, Colonel Javaid said that he on behalf of Pakistan army wishes ‘Happy Republic Day’ to all Indians. “I am very happy that our souring relations are now become sweeter. I wish that we will carry on these relations with Indians in future,” he added.

Replying to a question, he said that militancy also affects Pakistan. Pakistan government is not providing its land to any militant outfit.

Col Ankur said, “We exchange sweets on every religious and national festival. India wants peace and that’s why we are giving these sweets to them as a gesture. We don’t want any terrorist action from Pakistan side and if our neighbours do anything untolerable we can give a befitting reply to them as nothing is above national interest.

India always prays for peace not only in India but in the entire world.”

[Kashmir Times]