India didn't offer sweets, so Pak offer bullets

According to reports, the Border Security Force (BSF) Thursday did not exchange sweets and greetings with their counterparts Pakistan Rangers on the occasion of Diwali. The development comes in the wake of escalated border tensions and between the two nations in recent times.

"In the light of present scenario with Pakistan, this time India has decided not to offer sweets to Pakistan on the eve of Diwali Festival," BSF IG, Punjab Frontier, Ashok Kumar said.

It has been learnt that the message that India would not offer them sweets was already conveyed to Pakistan during the flag meeting at Indo-Pak Attari border on Wednesday evening.

The exchange of sweets at the border during festivals is an age-old tradition, but the continuous ceasefire violations have soured the relationship. The tradition of exchanging sweets between both the sides is being followed for the past many years on major religious festivals in both countries and also during their Independence Day celebrations.

This is the second time within this month that the border guards of both the countries have not exchanged sweets during their respective festivals. India’s reaction came following Pakistan’s denial to offer sweets to India earlier this month on the eve of Eid festival.

Ashok Kumar 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.”

Soon after India’s decision not to go-ahead with "Diwali Diplomacy", Pak forces on Sunday offered “fire” to India by violating ceasefire couple of times along the International Border (IB) on Thursday. As per information received, Pak troops again resorted to firing on Indian Border out Posts (BoPs) in the Samba and Jammu districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan Rangers resorted to small-arms firing at a few BoPs along IB in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors at 0100 hours and 0400 hours today," media quoted a BSF official as saying. “This is third ceasefire violation since Wednesday,” he added.

Ceasefire violations by the neighbouring country since the beginning of this month have also left over 95 injured, including 13 security personnel. Around 30,000 people have fled their homes to avoid the shelling, leaving 113 hamlets deserted in the border areas. According to the BSF, no damage has been made in the ceasefire that took place on Diwali day.

Pakistan’s ceasefire violation also came on the day, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the state. Modi on Thursday began a hectic day with his visit to the Siachen Glacier, the world’s higest battleground, where he aimed to "stand shoulder to shoulder with" soldiers on the occasion of Diwali.

After spending some time with the soldiers at the Siachen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Srinagar, where he spent time with flood affected families of the state.