NEW DELHI: Wives of senior officials of Pakistan Rangers will not be accompanying their husbands this time as the high-level delegation arrives here tomorrow for their four-day visit and bilateral talks with BSF here.
Officials said while about half-a-dozen ladies were initially supposed to come to India apart from the 15-member official delegation, their names were withdrawn by the other side a few days back.
The last time, in 2012, the Rangers delegation arrived here for the bi-annual Director General-level talks, the wives had accompanied the delegation.
"Wives of senior paramilitary or military officials accompanying their husbands during such visits is a practise that is seen world over. India and Bangladesh forces have this tradition for so many years and even the Pakistani side had brought the ladies the last time. At the last moment, this time, it was informed that they will not be coming," officials said. In 2012, wives of senior Border Security Force officials had hosted their counterparts and had taken them for sight-seeing and shopping to popular markets in the national capital.
"The practise is aimed to enhance the camaraderie and a sense of bonding between two sides. Nevertheless, BSF had made all arrangements for a comfortable stay during the four-day stay of the official Rangers delegation," they said.