India, Pakistan bilateral engagement to continue: DG level meeting on September 6

The cancellation of the NSA level talks between India and Pakistan has definitely been a setback for the overall bilateral relations between both countries. However, both sides are set to continue their bilateral engagement with a possible meeting between the Director Generals of Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers on September 6. The meeting is expected to take place in New Delhi to discuss the situation on the Line of Control and the international boundary between India and Pakistan.

With an increase in ceasefire violations along the LoC since the meeting of both Prime Ministers in Ufa, ceasefire violations is an extremely important issue between both countries with both sides accusing each other of violations. In such a scenario it is important that both sides meet and discuss the issue and prevent further escalation of tensions in the region. Pakistan’s ISI chief Rizwan Akhtar who was the DG (Rangers) earlier was the last DG to visit India.

The two sides are not planning any meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Both sides are treading cautiously after the debacle of the proposed NSA talks and India is especially wary since Pakistan’s NSA Sartaj Aziz had said that he would hand over a dossier to the UN on Indian intelligence agency RAW’s alleged involvement in Pakistan. A final decision is expected closer to the date of the meeting after all factors have been taken into account.

It is left to be seen whether both sides would walk the talk and continue engaging each other or would continue hurling accusations at each other with no progress.

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