BSF, Pakistan Rangers hold bi-annual meeting in Lahore

The bi-annual meeting between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistan Rangers was held from July 25 to 28, in Lahore to discuss matters related to border management.

The BSF delegation was led by Director General, K.K Sharma and the Pakistan delegation was led by Director General, Pakistan Rangers (Punjab), Major General Umar Farooq Burki.

During the meeting, K.K Sharma stressed the importance of vigilance to against cross border infiltration to prevent terrorist activities and check smuggling in narcotics.

Both the sides discussed ways to strengthen measures to coordinate border patrolling on their respective sides of the border and address each others' concerns in a time bound manner.

The Joint Record of Discussion charting a future route map of cooperation between the two Border Guarding Forces was signed earlier in the day.

It was agreed that since the last such meeting in Delhi in September 2015, there has been a greater adherence to cease-fire along the International border.

Meanwhile, addressing a weekly press conference, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that during the meeting, the DG BSF invited DG Pakistan Rangers to visit India for the second round of this talk and he has accepted the invitation.

The DG-level talks between the two sides are a bi-annual affair, but several times these meetings have not taken place due to the strain in relations between India and Pakistan.