Pakistan examining proposal for DGMO-level talks with India

Islamabad: Pakistan is examining a proposal for a DGMO-level meeting with India, which last happened in December 2013, to reduce tension along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary through fresh confidence-building measures, according to a media report.

The report comes a day after Pakistan said four of its soldiers died and five others injured in cross-border firing by India across the LoC. The Indian Army, however, said seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in its retaliatory firing.

A Pakistan defence ministry official in a meeting yesterday told the Senate defence committee that a “fresh proposal of DGMOs’ (Director Generals of Military Operations) meeting is being considered,” the Dawn newspaper reported.

The official also briefed the senators about the latest trends in Indian ceasefire violations, it said. According to the report, one of the confidence-building measures being considered for the planned meeting of DGMOs is “calibre reduction” of the arms being used at the LoC.

Pakistan-India DGMOs have a frequent hotline contact, but they last met face to face four years ago at Wagah, a village which serves as a transit terminal between Lahore and Amritsar. The December 24, 2013 Wagah meeting had taken place after a break of 14 years. That meeting too was held to discuss ways to ensure peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary.

Meanwhile, a resolution adopted by the Senate committee through consensus condemned Indian Army chief Gen. Bipin Rawat’s statement about “calling nuclear bluff of Pakistan” as “stupidity and provocative”. They termed it a “war-like” proclamation, the report said.