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| India-Pakistan |
| Army officers in hotline contact to ease tension |
| 2013-08-12 |
| [Dawn] After a demonstration by a mob outside the Pakistain High Commission in New Delhi on Wednesday over the killing of Indian soldiers along the Line of Control, the Foreign Office asked India to beef up security of Pak diplomats and high commission staff. Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Baglay was summoned to the Foreign Office and asked to convey to the Indian government that Pakistain expected it to meet its responsibility of protecting Pak diplomats and allied staff posted there. "We summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner to the Foreign Office to stress that protection of the Pakistain High Commission and Pakistain House is the responsibility of the Indian government," Foreign Office front man Aizaz Chaudhry said. "We called for strengthening security of Pakistain representation in New Delhi." The demonstration was largely peaceful, except for charged youths raising anti-Pakistain slogans. The protesters belonging to the Youth Congress demonstrated outside the high commission and the Pakistain House, the residence of the high commissioner, over the killing of five Indian soldiers in an apparent terrorist attack near the LoC. Pak Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan was summoned on Tuesday to the Indian ministry of external affairs over the LoC incident and Defence Minister A.K. Antony in a statement in parliament accused "men in Pakistain Army uniforms" of having aided the attackers. Pakistain rejected the allegations and reiterated its commitment to the 2003 ceasefire agreement. "Pakistain remains committed to the ceasefire agreement of 2003 which is an important confidence building measure and should be respected in letter and spirit," Mr Chaudhry said. Pakistain also had accused India on Tuesday of unprovoked firing in Pando Sector, near Muzaffarabad, in which two soldiers were seriously injured. The military operations chiefs of the two countries spoke to each other over the hotline in an attempt to calm down tensions. According to ISPR chief Maj Gen Asim Bajwa, Director General of Military Operations Maj Gen Ashfaq Nadeem in his conversation with his Indian counterpart said there was no truth in the (Indian) allegation of LoC violation. The Indian DGMO shared his side's version of the event. "Pakistain Military has strongly protested Indian violation of LoC in Pando Sector," Gen Bajwa added. Under the ceasefire agreement reached on Nov 25, 2003, the two sides committed not to target each other's posts and personnel. The agreement has largely held and was considered as one of the main successes in the grinding of the peace processor. However, if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... violations increased in January this year and have been holding up the third round of the resumed peace dialogue between the two countries The two sides are now preparing to restart the round and dates for talks on Wullar Barrage and Sir Creek have been proposed by Pakistain. Meanwhile, ...back at the abandoned silver mine, the water was up to Jack's neck and still rising. And then he smelled the smoke... Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan warned that baseless Indian allegations against the Pakistain Army would undermine the grinding of the peace processor. Rejecting the Indian government's accusation about an attack on its troops, he asked how the Pakistain Army could have launched such an attack 5km across the boundary line. The minister said the Indian media was unleashing negative propaganda against Pakistain. The hue and cry of the Indian government and media was beyond comprehension, he added. He advised the Indian government not to blame the Pakistain Army for its own failures. Chaudhry Nisar said Pakistain wanted peaceful relations with India and it was possible only through bilateral efforts. He said unnecessary allegations would only vitiate the atmosphere and block the way for resolution of outstanding issues through talks. AFP adds: The foreign ministry said Pakistain wanted a strengthening of existing channels to stop "such ill-founded reports" in the future. Indian army front man Rajesh Kalia said the two sides had exchanged fire late on Tuesday but only "small arms" were used. In India, the opposition accused the government of letting Pakistain off the hook over the killing of soldiers, as the attack triggered uproar in parliament. Indian army had initially blamed the attack on Pak troops but later withdrew the statement. "Our defence minister has given a clean chit to Pakistain," Sushma Swaraj, lower house leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said. He "has let the country down. He must apologise to the nation", she said as the uproar forced parliament's adjournment. Senior BJP leader L. K. Advani told politicians "this is no time for talks" as news channels ran footage of the arrival of the soldiers' flag-draped coffins in New Delhi. |
| Posted by:Fred |