Killing of jawans: India lodges protest with Pak at flag meet

"The flag meeting between brigade commanders of India and Pakistan started around 1300 hours and ended at 1332 hours at Chakan-Da-Bagh Crossing-Point in Poonch sector", a senior Army officer told PTI.

The Indian team was led by 10th Bridage (Krishnaghati Brigade) Commander Brig T S Sandhu in the meeting with the Pakistan brigade commander at Chakan da Bagh Crossing Point along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district.

The officer said further details were awaited as the team was returning from the forward area.

Army had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan Army over the brutal, barbaric and inhuman killing of two Army jawans after intrusion in Poonch sector on January 8 and also continued ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops.

The Indian Army had sent a hotline message to Pakistan Army on January 11 and called for a Brigade Commander-level flag meeting to discuss the issues of brutal killing of two jawans after major intrusion by Pakistani troops of 29 Baloch Regiment and increasing incidents of firing and ceasefire violations in Poonch sector.

Pakistan had yesterday responded to the request for flag meeting through hot-line, he said, adding that "we had sought flag meeting of the two brigade commanders".

Pakistan's High Commissioner Salman Bashir was earlier summoned in Delhi by Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, who had lodged a strong protest over Pakistani Army action in which the two soldiers were killed and their bodies were subjected to "barbaric and inhuman mutilation".

Pakistan has suspended cross-LoC trade and travel at Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point in Poonch sector since Thursday and Friday respectively. MORE