A five-day bi-annual meeting between the Border Security Force, BSF, and Pakistan Rangers(a member of a military unit trained as shock troops for hit-and-run raids), has commenced in New Delhi to sort out border related issues. The 18-member delegation led by Pakistan Rangers Director General (Sindh) Major General Rizwan Akhtar, was received by Border Security Force Chief U K Bansal and other senior officials. According to an official release, the issues which are expected to be discussed during the meeting include unprovoked firing in Jammu and Sialkot Sector and the death of a BSF personnel due to sniper firing, smuggling of Heroin, arms and ammunitions and illegal crossing of Pakistani Nationals to Indian Territory and return of inadvertent border crossers. The issue of apprehension of fishermen and seizure of fishing boats in Gujarat is also likely to be figured during the talks. India may also raise the issue of defence construction close to International Border.
The biannual event which earlier used to take place at Amritsar, Chandigarh and Jalandhar, is taking place in New Delhi for the first time.