Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: In a positive development between India and Pakistan, the troops of two countries, which often exchange mortar shelling and firing on the Line of Control (LoC), today exchanged sweets and greetings at several places on the LoC as well as International Border on the occasion of Eid festival.
Number of times, the two sides refuse to exchange sweets and greetings on the festivals and National Days fixed for such functions at cross-border points in view of tension between the two countries mainly because of shelling and firing on the borders.
This was the first festival after formation of Modi 2.0 Government at the Centre and the troops of both the countries exchanged sweets and greetings after meetings at the LoC and International Border in Jammu region.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Indo-Pak Army officials met at Chakan-Da-Bagh, the cross-LoC point on Poonch-Rawlakote route in Poonch district this morning for about 20 minutes in which the Army officials from both sides offered sweets and greetings to each other on the occasion of Eid festival.
The meeting was held in cordial atmosphere and the Army officials of two countries dispersed after the meeting.
Similar sweets exchange programmes were also held at other places on the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
The Modi 1.0 Government had suspended cross-LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in view of use of part of money by some of the PoK and Kashmir based traders for terror funding.
Along the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistani Rangers also exchanged sweets at various cross-border points to celebrate Eid festival.
The BSF and Rangers greeted each other and exchanged sweets at Hiranagar, Samba, Ramgarh, RS Pura and Pargwal sectors besides some other points fixed for such meetings.
“The BSF and Rangers committed each other to maintain peaceful atmosphere and harmonious relations between the two border-guarding forces,” an official handout issued by the BSF after sweets exchange ceremonies, said.
Meanwhile, BSF personnel at the Attari-Wagah border also exchanged sweets with their Pakistani counterparts – Rangers – and wished each other on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr.
BSF personnel at the Indo-Bangladesh border also greeted each other with sweets on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr. Such gestures are widely regarded as a show of goodwill and go a long way in promoting the message of peace that is espoused by festivals across different religions.
Sweets are also exchanged on the occasion of a number of other festivals, including Diwali and Holi.
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