Indo-Pak talks: No headway on Siachen dispute

New Delhi: The twelfth round of talks between India and Pakistan on resolving the Siachen dispute failed on Tuesday as no agreement could be reached on confirming ground positions. The talks, held at the defence secretary-level, took place after a gap of three years and began on 30 May.

India wants Pakistan to authenticate the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in the Saltoro Ridge-Siachen region, both on the map and ground, something which Pakistan is reluctant to confirm.

Indian troops are ranged along the AGPL and Pakistan wants India to withdraw and redeploy troops from the Saltoro Ridge. All the high points along the Saltoro Range, to the north and west of the glacier, are largely held by India. Although it is referred to as the ''Siachen Glacier dispute,'' Pakistani troops are not on the glacier that flows through Indian territory in Ladakh.

Meanwhile, sources said talks were held in a "constructive framework".

The Indian delegation was led by the defence secretary Pradeep Kumar and included special secretary RK Mathur,  the director general military operations (DGMO) Lt Gen AM Verma and the surveyor general S Subha Rao.

The Pakistan delegation was led by defence secretary Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ather Ali and included Maj Gen Ashfaq Nadeem Ahmed, Maj Gen Munwar Ahmed Solehri and Maj Gen (retd) Mir Haider Ali Khan.