Major rebuff to Pak: Army refuses to exchange sweets on Eid

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 9: In a major rebuff to Pakistan, Indian Army today refused to exchange sweets with Pakistani troops on the Line of Control (LoC) on the occasion of Eid festival today as a mark of strong protest against the killings of five Indian soldiers at Poonch sector on August 6.
The gates at Chakan-Da-Bagh didn’t open this morning as used to be on every major festival during which the two Armies exchanged sweets, fruits and pleasantries to celebrate the festivals.
“There was no fun of exchanging sweets with Pakistan Army, which had displayed its most inhuman character by killing give Army jawans. Therefore, we decided not to exchange sweets or fruits with Pakistan Army today,’’ a senior Army officer said in Poonch.
The practice of exchanging sweets was going on for past quite some time on all major festivals like Diwali, Eid, Independence Day, Republic Day etc. The two Armies used to meet at cross-LoC point of Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch, Tata Pani in Mendhar and some other points on the LoC to exchange sweets and fruits.
This was, however, after a long time that the officials of two Armies didn’t exchange sweets on a major festival.
Sources said it had become clear almost last night that there would be no exchange of sweets on Eid as the killings of five Army soldiers had taken place only three days back. The Government of India and Indian Army had already blamed Pakistani soldiers and Border Action Team (BAT) of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) for the killings of five Army soldiers in Sarala battalion area of Poonch sector on the intervening night of August 5 and 6.
Sources said there was no possibility of Indian Army exchanging sweets with Pakistan on the occasion of Independence Day of the two countries falling on August 14 and 15 under the present circumstance.
The people of border areas have justified the Indian Army decision not to exchange sweets and fruits with Pakistan on the ground that that latter didn’t deserve and sweets.
The BSF, however, exchanged sweets with Rangers at Octroi Post on the International Border (IB) in RS Pura sector. Sources cited the exchange of sweets on major festivals as part of protocol between the two sides.
BSF Commandant GS Dhariwal and 12 Chenab Regiment of Rangers Major S Ali met at Octroi Post this morning and exchanged sweets and fruits to mark Eid festival.
Meanwhile, uncertainty prevailed over resumption of cross-LoC trade and travel, which has already been suspended for two weeks.
Even after suspension of two weeks, the resumption of trade and travel from August 18 appeared to be uncertain, sources said, adding the Trade Facilitation Authorities of the two sides would take a decision by the end of next week on resumption of trade/travel.
The travel on Poonch-Rawlakote route takes place every Monday followed by trade for next four days.

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