India, Pak decide to keep communication alive along LoC

India and Pakistan on Tuesday agreed to exercise restraint and keep the communication channels alive that were established through reconciliation mechanism as senior Army officers of the two countries held a flag meeting in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

A battalion commander-level flag meeting between Indian and Pakistani army officers was held at Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch district on Tuesday.

"The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere to take forward the confidence building measures initiated during the brigade commander-level flag meeting in September," defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said.

He said that the representatives of the two nations deliberated on a host of issues, including ceasefire violations, return of civilians who cross the border inadvertently, air space violations and construction activity close to the Line of Control.

"In the meeting, which lasted for nearly an hour-and-a-half, the officers leading the respective delegations acknowledged each other’s efforts in maintaining peace and tranquillity on the Line of Control in the recent past," Mehta said.

The spokesperson noted that both the sides mutually agreed to the importance of exercising restraint on the LoC and keeping the communication alive through established reconciliation mechanism.

"The flag meeting ended on a positive note wherein the two sides exchanged pleasantries and sweets at the zero line," he said.