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More threats from India over cross-border crisis
[DAWN] India warned Pakistain on Tuesday of more "pain" if it continued to violate a ceasefire on their disputed border in Kashmire and said it was up to Islamabad to create the conditions for a resumption of peace talks.The two sides exchanged mortars and intense gunfire this month, killing at least 20 civilians and wounding dozens in the worst violation to date of a 2003 ceasefire. While the firing has abated, tension remains high along a 200-km (125-mile) stretch of the border dividing the nuclear-armed rivals. "Our conventional strength is far more than theirs. So if they persist with this, they'll feel the pain of this adventurism," Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley told NDTV in an interview. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government came to power in May promising a tough response to violence in the Himalayan territory. It accuses Pakistain of helping keep alive a 25-year armed revolt in India held Kashmire. Pakistain has denied this allegation on many occasions. Military officers on both sides say Indian border commanders adopted a more aggressive stance in the festivities this month, firing 1,000 mortars on one day this month. It was not clear what triggered the fighting. Mighty Pak Army officials said the trouble began with India's decision to beef up border defences, in violation of the ceasefire pact. Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz said in an earlier statement that India was not cooperating on the issue. "The Pakistain government has been exercising utmost restraint and responsibility. Unfortunately, all our efforts to secure peace and tranquility on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary have elicited no cooperation from the Indian side," he said. Posted by: Fred 2014-10-22 |
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