With repeated Pak firing along LoC, no sweets exchanged on Diwali

Jammu/Amritsar: In the wake of repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border, Indian forces have not offered sweets to their Pakistani counterparts on the occasion of Diwali. The Border Security Force (BSF) in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir did not exchange sweets and greetings, a goodwill gesture carried out during major occasions, especially religious festivals like Diwali and Eid. [caption id=“attachment_1770191” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] “In the light of present scenario with Pakistan, this time India has decided not to offer sweets to Pakistan on the eve of Diwali,” Jalandhar-based BSF IG, Punjab Frontier, Ashok Kumar told PTI over phone. The message that India would not offer them sweets was already conveyed to Pakistan during the flag meeting at Indo-Pak Attari border last evening, the IG said. There were repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along LoC as well as International Border in Jammu and Kashmir recently, he said, adding, therefore, offering of sweets to Pakistani counterparts was “totally out of question”. Pakistani forces resorted to firing along the International Border in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts of Jammu and Kashmir violating the ceasefire again today. “This Diwali we did not exchange sweets with the Pakistani side following the heightened tension along the international border,” a senior BSF officer said in Jammu. The Army also did not hold any function along the Line of Control and no sweets were exchanged with the Pakistani troops. “There was no program scheduled for today. Hence, no exchange of sweets took place,” Jammu-based defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta told PTI on Thursday. The step comes close on the heels of no sweets being offered on the eve of Eid festival by the Pakistani side. The two neighboring nations, for the past long time, on reciprocal basis, were following the custom of offering of sweets and greetings on various occasions like their Independence Day, besides on religious festivals like Diwali and Eid. PTI