Top Indian Coast Guard officials today held a meeting with their Pakistani counterparts in Islamabad and discussed key operational issues, including release of fishermen and boats.
This is the first visit by an Indian agency to Pakistan since the Pathankot airbase attack in January this year.
The fifth meeting of officials of Indian Coast Guard and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency was held in the Pakistani capital.
The Indian delegation was led by Coast Guard chief Rajendra Singh.
The meeting comes amid a fresh war of words between India and Pakistan over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and subsequent violence that claimed 34 lives in Jammu and Kashmir.
Though there was no official word on what transpired in the meeting, the Indian High Commission in Pakistan tweeted, "Indian Coast Guard, Pak Maritime Security Agency discussed operational matters including release of fishermen & boats.
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Official sources said a host of issues ranging from
information sharing on fishermen, search and rescue operations and pollution response were discussed at the meeting.
The meeting of the heads of the two maritime security agencies is held every year alternately in India and Pakistan.
A hotline was also established between the two sides in 2006 to discuss the maritime security issues on a regular basis.
