Pak objects to floodlighting along Indo-Pak border in JK

21 Feb, 2011, 01.00PM IST,PTI
Pak objects to floodlighting along Indo-Pak border in JK

JAMMU: Pakistan Rangers have raised questions over the floodlighting work along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir and have been told by Indian authorities that the project aimed at checking infiltration of militants would continue.

"They (Pak Rangers) raised a query (over floodlight work). They questioned the project. We clarified to them that work is being done for under-ground cabling for installation of flood lights", a senior BSF officer told PTI on Monday.

Maintaining that the work has not been stopped, he said, "It is going on. It was never stopped. Nothing has happened today. The issue is closed".

Giving further details, the officer said, "We are carrying out border floodlighting along the International Border (IB) in Jammu frontier area.

"It is part of the Border management Programme which is all along the IB. Where ever the fencing is there floodlighting has to be carried out", he said.

BSF was carrying out digging work for laying under-ground cables along IB in Abdullian Border Outpost (BOP) belt of R S pura sub-sector of Jammu in order to stop cross-border infiltration and to maintain a round-the-clock vigil of the borderline with Pakistan last evening when Pakistani Rangers raised queries about it.

Pakistan does not recognises nearly 200 kms long Indo-Pak border under the operational command of BSF from Molu covering Jammu, Samba and Kathua sectors.

The officer said, "It is minor issue. This is a localised issue" adding, "There was casual meeting held at local level and the matter was sorted out".

A BSF spokesman said that Pakistani Rangers have in the past raised objections with regard to the borders since 1947.