ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: Pakistan and India agreed on Tuesday to suspend hostilities along the ‘Working Boundary’ which last week witnessed worst skirmishes since a ceasefire agreement reached nearly a decade ago.

The decision was taken at a ‘flag meeting’ of officials of Punjab Rangers and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in Sialkot sector. “Incidents of unprovoked firing and shelling were discussed at the meeting. The Rangers lodged a strong protest with BSF officials over ceasefire violations by Indian border guards that caused loss of human lives and property,” a Pakistan military spokesman said.

Officials of the Rangers and BSF, another official said, had agreed to end shelling along the Working Boundary to facilitate farmers having lands in border areas to harvest their paddy crop.

The heavily fenced Working Boundary is an extension of the Line of Control (LoC) and separates disputed Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistani territory.

The two sides decided to cooperate in preventing further violations, the official said. “The farmers can safely harvest their paddy crops up to the international border as we have decided to observe calm in the area. The meeting was held in a conducive atmosphere,” BSF official J.S. Singla told journalists after the meeting, according to Indian media.

Earlier in the day, Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz said all diplomatic options had been utilised for restoring ceasefire along the LoC and de-escalating tensions with India.

“All possible efforts have been made at diplomatic levels to impress upon India that it is in the interest of both the countries to respect the ceasefire agreement of 2003,” Mr Aziz said in a written statement in Senate on continuing hostilities along the de facto border with India.