Amid the growing war of words between both countries in recent days, a high-level delegation from Pakistan crossed over into India on Wednesday at the Attari-Wagah joint check post for director-level talks between border forces of both countries.Led by Pakistan Rangers' Director General, Maj.Gen. Umar Farooq Burki, the 16-member delegation was welcomed by senior Border Security Force (BSF) officers here on Wednesday. The delegation later left on a special aircraft for New Delhi where the talks will take place.The talks between the director generals of India's BSF and Pakistan Rangers get underway despite heightened between both countries due to intermittent mortar shelling and firing continuing along the border in Jammu and Kashmir.Key issues to be discussed will include repeated ceasefire violations and cross-border infiltration.
Pakistan is reported to be seeking revival of the international monitoring of violations.The agreement for the talks, scheduled to last till Sunday, was reached when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif met on July 10 in the Russian city of Ufa on the sidelines of the SCO summit.The meeting of the DGs of border forces assumes significance following the recent planned meeting of the two nations' national security advisers falling through last month after Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit invited Kashmir's separatist leaders ahead of the talks.The DG level meeting is taking place after a gap of nearly 18 months.