Indian PM wishes Pakistanis on Independence Day

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday extended greetings to the people of Pakistan on the country's 68th birthday.

The Indian premier in a tweet extended his good wishes to Pakistanis. Modi's greeting come in the midst of tension between India and Pakistan due to recent skirmishes along the Line of Control. Earlier in this month, 3 people were killed and at least 22 injured as Indian and Pakistani security forces exchanged fire in across the Working Boundary in Sialkot. A border ceasefire agreement signed by the neighbours in 2003 has largely held, but both frequently accuse each other of breaching it. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz will visit New Delhi for security talks on August 23, he said on Thursday, in India's first attempt in months to restart talks. "I can confirm that I will be going to India on August 23," Sartaj Aziz told a news conference.

Aziz had said his visit was "not a breakthrough in terms of composite dialogue and all the issues but at least it is an ice breaking on some issues.. and let's hope it will lead to further more comprehensive dialogue on the other issues between the two countries".

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, in their meeting at Ufa (Russia) in July, had agreed that a meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) would be convened to "discuss all issues connected to terrorism". On the other hand, India once again succumbed to her intransigence and longtime rigidity as Border Security Force (BSF) refused to accept sweets offered to them at Wagah Border during Independence Day celebrations.

A stunning flag hoisting ceremony was organised at the border. Rangers Director General (DG) Major General Umer Farooq Barki hoisted the flag. Sweets were distributed among the people who had come to revisit the magnificence of the historic day. The border forces, like Independence Day celebrations in the past, offered sweets to the BSF however, the Indian authorities refused to take part in neighbour's celebrations.