India, Pakistan border guards meet to ease tension

Border Security Force (BSF) officials and Pakistani Rangers met at the Kashmir border post to ease tension on the frontier after five months of escalated hostilities.

Tension between the two countries has resulted in both armies firing across their disputed border in the region of Kashmir several times in the past year. At least a dozen people were killed and thousands forced to flee from their homes in the latest fighting in January. 

BSF Inspector general (IG) Rakesh Sharma hoped for peace to return in the border areas. "A sector-level commander meeting was asked by the Pakistani side and we responded. Today the meeting was held from 2 O'clock (0830 GMT), Indian standard time, to 4.15 (1045 GMT). The meeting was in a very cordial atmosphere and very positive note. Issues related to whatever border problems are discussed and we are hopeful that peace will return in the border areas," Sharma said in Jammu.

"Last flag meeting of sector-level commander was held on 29th August, 2014. This is the first meeting after tension on the border increased in wake of 31st December incident," added Sharma.