No sweets for Pakistan Rangers this Diwali

AMRITSAR: After heightened tension and increase in cross border firing between India and Pakistan following Indian Army's surgical strikes in PoK, Border Security Force (BSF) did not greet and share sweets with Pakistan Rangers at the three major international border posts of Attari, Hussainiwal and Sadqi in Punjab. The BSF decision was taken in protest against the killing of their jawans in unprovoked firing along the international border and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir by Pak forces.
As against prevalent tradition of border guarding forces, BSF neither greeted Pakistan Rangers from Zero Line at all the three international border nor offered them sweets to mark the festival of lights.
The no-sweets diplomacy is an indication of the nature of current relations between two border guarding forces, which often takes a beating flowing skirmishes at international border and LoC and is a reflection of government's diplomatic mood. Both border guarding forces exchange sweets and greet each other on various religious festivals, besides national events including Independent Day and Republic Day to maintain harmony and for better coordination between two forces.
Last year, there was no exchange of sweets and pleasantries on occasion of Eid after Pak Rangers didn't turn up to exchange greetings on occasion of Eid ul Zuha in October 2014, but following diplomatic efforts there was a thaw in strained relations. Following this the border guarding forces again resumed the tradition and as a result the sweets were exchanged between two forces on Independence Day and Holi festival this year.
BSF IG, Frontier, didn't pick the phone despite repeated attempts. However, another senior officer who didn't want to give his name confirmed that BSF didn't greet Pakistanis on Diwali.
“They are killing our jawans in unprovoked firing and we can't offer them sweets in return,“ he said.