NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan on Monday agreed to exercise restraint and work for defusing the situation on the Line of Control (LoC), which has been witnessing repeated ceasefire violations as senior army officers of the two countries held a Flag Meeting in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Press Trust of India said.

The Brigade Commander-level Flag Meeting was held at Chakan-da-Bagh LoC crossing point in Poonch sector at 11.30am, PTI quoted PRO, Defence, S.N. Acharya as saying.

It said the representatives of the two sides addressed a host of issues regarding ongoing ceasefire violations, targeting of civilians and sniping action on the LoC.

“Both sides have understood the importance of exercising restraint and have decided to take steps to defuse the situation,” Mr Acharya said.

The meeting lasted for about an hour and the Indian side was represented by Brigadier H.S. Sareen and the Pakistani side by Brigadier Osman.

This is the first Flag Meeting held at the level of Brigadiers after nearly 20 days of heavy firing and shelling of 120mm, 82, 61 mm mortar bombs, Rocket Projectile Grenades and automatic weapons allegedly by Pakistani troops in Poonch district along the LoC, the Indian agency said.

Pakistan claims the violations and heavy firing by Indian troops has caused deaths and damage among civilians on its side.

The last Brigade Commander-level meeting was held on Sept 4 last year after the LoC saw 45 days of heaviest firing by Pakistani troops since 1971, PTI said.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd , 2015

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