Sania-Shoaib wedding good for Indo-Pak ties: Pakistan Rangers

A top Pakistan Rangers officer today welcomed Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik's decision to tie the knot saying such relationships, though personal, augur well for the ties between the two countries.

"Though purely personal, such decisions are bound to have their good effect on the ties between the two nations," director general  Pakistan Rangers Major Gen Muhammad Yaqub Khan told reporters at the conclusion of the four-day biennial meeting between the BSF and its Pakistani counterpart at Khasa
near Attari.

Noting that such decisions always had an impact on both sides, Khan said, "Similarly erroneous decisions also send wrong signals across the border. For example, when Pakistani
cricketers were kept out of the IPL it sent shock waves in
Pakistan."

He said if all the differences and pending issues were sorted out between the Governments of the two nations then security scenario on the Indo-Pak border would be completely different.

Talking about cross-border terrorism Khan said, "This is the problem of both sides as terrorists have no nation or religion and recognise no borders." 

He also claimed that Pakistan Rangers have made elaborate security arrangements on the international border to stop infiltration at least from Pakistan side effectively.

"Now Pakistan is very much sure that there would be no such act in future," Khan said. 

On Attari/Wagah border where both the border forces perform parade during sunset he said after the arrest of suspected terrorist on Pakistani side, certain security measures have been taken to make the apparatus fool-proof particularly for the Retreat Ceremony when personnel of the BSF and the Rangers participate to entertain thousands of visitors on both sides.

Khan said Pak Rangers were immensely happy with the warm welcome extended by the BSF during their four-day stay on Indian Territory and the meeting was held in a highly congenial atmosphere. 

The Pakistan Rangers DG said both the forces during the meeting assured each other that if any inadvertent crossing of
innocent person on either side took place, they would repatriate them immediately and would not register any criminal case.

The Indian delegation at the meet was headed by special director General (West) Border Security Force PPS Sidhu.      

The Indian delegation included BSF inspectors general from Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat Frontiers and BSF headquarters New Delhi, besides representatives of Narcotics
Control Bureau, Survey of India and PWD.

During this meeting, matters pertaining to defence constructions, firing incidents, border problems and crime like drug trafficking, infiltration, smuggling of arms/ ammunition, inadvertent border crossings and other matters of mutual interest was discussed for effecting border management in a cordial atmosphere.

Before crossing over to Pakistan a 15-member delegation led by Khan visited the Golden Temple and the historic Jallianwalla Bagh under heavy security.