Pak shows white flags but doesn't turn up for flag meet

Pakistan on Monday displayed white flags along the International Border in Samba sector possibly as a mark for having peace but it did not respond to calls for a flag meeting between border guards to de-escalate tensions.

There were two white flags displayed from two different border villages along Ramgarh in Samba district and Jammu sector on Monday, government officials said.

But calls for a flag meeting at Octerio Border Out Post along IB in R S Pura sub-sector of Jammu got no response, they said.

While at the same time, Pakistan troops fired two rounds on BOP Katav in Kathua district on Monday triggering panic among people as Border Security Force troops retaliated.

The Pakistani Rangers opened small arms fire on the outpost in Katav area in Rajpora-Kagwal forward belt along the International Border this afternoon, a police officer said.

They fired two rounds but no one was injured on the Indian side, he said. The cross-border firing took place after a two-day lull.

A senior BSF officer had said on Sunday that the flag meeting was likely to be held on Monday.

"We are making all efforts to hold the flag meeting to defuse the tension and response from other side has already been received," he had said.

BSF troops had earlier tried to hold flag meeting on October 18 and 20 with Pakistan Rangers on IB at two forward BoPs in Samba district, but Pakistan Rangers did not turn up for meeting after a long wait by BSF troops.

As per the reports, Pakistan Rangers, who had also given consent for meeting on October 26 and 27 also did not responded.

BSF had sent communications via hotlines to the Rangers from Nikowal and Shidra and octroi BoPs and had received their response.

The Pakistani troops had shelled 17 Indian forward posts and civilian areas wounding 11 on October 24-25.

Image: A villager shows mortar shells being fired from the Pakistan side of the international border, in Samba sector.

Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters