Brigade Commanders From India And Pakistan Meet At LoC’s Chakkan-Da-Bagh To Discuss Ceasefire Violations

Amid rising cross-border skirmishes along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region, senior military officials from India and Pakistan convened for a brigade commander-level flag meeting on Friday (21 February) in Poonch district’s Pir Panjal valley to address escalating hostilities, reported The Hindu.

According to official sources, the meeting took place at the Chakkan-Da-Bagh crossing point in Poonch from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., lasting over an hour. 

The discussion reportedly focused on de-escalating tensions along the LoC and reaffirming commitments to existing ceasefire agreements. However, no joint statement was released, and details of the measures discussed remain undisclosed.

The meeting came against the backdrop of two fresh incidents of explosions and firing in Poonch within the past 24 hours. A blast near the LoC was reported on Friday morning, though security officials have yet to confirm its cause.

While the India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement of 2020 has largely been held, recent months have seen an uptick in violations. Both armies have accused each other of "unprovoked firing." 

On 16 February, the Indian Army alleged that Pakistani forces had opened small arms fire on an Indian post, while reports from the Pakistani daily Dawn claimed that two of its soldiers were injured in shelling in the Deva and Bagsar sectors on 12 February.

Beyond cross-border firing, the Jammu region has witnessed at least six skirmishes in Rajouri, Poonch, and Jammu districts over the past two months, including sniper attacks. 

The violence has resulted in the deaths of two Indian soldiers, including a Captain, in an IED blast, while at least two others sustained injuries from sniper fire. It remains unclear whether these attacks were carried out by Pakistani forces or by infiltrating terrorists. Additionally, the Indian Army has neutralised two infiltrators in Poonch during this period.