RAWALPINDI: The leadership of India’s Border Security Forces (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers agreed on Friday that the spirit of a 2003 ceasefire agreement must be revived to protect innocent lives, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said.

They also agreed that unprovoked firing and ceasefire violations result in the loss of innocent civilian lives, which often include women and children; therefore, must be prevented.

“Measures were discussed to effectively check smuggling and border crossings from both sides,” the military’s media wing said in a statement.

It was held in a highly “congenial and conducive atmosphere,” according to the statement.

The BSF and Rangers also talked about speeding up the repatriation process of fishermen detained in Indian prisons due to inadvertent border crossings, in order to “reunite the affected families”.

Security forces of both countries have made “serious endeavours” to resolve issues related to border management at post, company and battalion levels by encouraging local commanders to work in cooperation, the press release read.

Meanwhile, BSF Director General K.K Sharma said that both the forces agreed to the proposal, and the meetings would be held at regular intervals after a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart.

The three-day meetings of the two forces’ senior officials, held in New Delhi, are an annual event hosted in either India or Pakistan. The last session concluded Friday.