Pakistan, India to ‘reduce’ troop deployment

While agreeing to uphold the ceasefire reached last week, Pakistani and Indian senior military officials have agreed to reduce troop deployments along the international border, following days of hostilities between the two countries that had raised fears of a wider conflict, said a report.

It said that the delay in holding the meeting was attributed by some sources to a difference over the agenda of the discussion.

The two officers — Pakistan’s Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah and India’s Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai — discussed measures to reinforce their mutual commitment not to fire or engage in any aggressive or inimical actions, according to Indian authorities. There was no official statement released by the Pakistan Army regarding the meeting.

In addition to reaffirming the ceasefire, the two sides reportedly agreed to pursue immediate steps to reduce troop presence along the borders and forward areas, which is seen as a significant move amid fragile calm after a four-day flare-up from May 7 to May 10.

Pakistani officials described the conversation as the initial round of talks after the ceasefire took effect. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) are expected to have another round of talks in a day or two for further discussions.

In peacetime, Pakistan and India typically station border security forces along the international border, while regular army troops remain in nearby cantonments for rapid deployment if needed.