Archives

ISLAMABAD, Tuesday (AFP) Pakistan and India escalated their verbal salvoes after a bout of firing on world peace day in the troubled province of Kashmir left two boys injured.

Pakistan slammed India for violating a United Nations ceasefire appeal by firing on border villages in Kashmir on international peace day, saying its troops had to return fire to stop Indian shelling.

India meanwhile, accused Pakistan of rejecting overtures of friendship made by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee after his visit to Kashmir in April. Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Masood Khan said Pakistani troops had tried to observe a call by United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

He said Pakistan had to respond to Indian "provocation" from across the Line of Control (LoC) which divides the disputed Himalayan region between the rival South Asian neighbours.

"It was in two sectors in Bhimbhar and Nakyal where there was hostile fire from the other side and two boys were injured," he said adding "We had to return the fire to stop the Indian firing."

The spokesman stressed that Pakistani troops "followed the directions from the international community and the United Nations religiously and ensured maximum restraint."

He rejected Indian contention that that the 45-member UN mission assigned to monitor ceasefire along the de facto border in Kashmir, had no mandate to call for a ceasefire in Kashmir.

"This is not true. They have the mandate, I am absolutely clear about it," Khan said, describing the group a symbol of the presence of the United Nations in South Asia. India also stepped up its accusations, with Indian Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani saying that Pakistan had done little to improve cross-border ties.

"The prime minister's peace initiative during his visit to Srinagar in April was not reciprocated by the other side in equal measure," Advani said, referring to disputed Kashmir's summer capital.

Advani, addressing a conference of border troops in New Delhi, said India was determined to win the "proxy war" against the country and help eliminate "terrorism" globally.

Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Khan said the UN mission needed to play a greater role in keeping peace between the two sides which are bitterly divided over control of Himalayan Kashmir province.

"It's a small mission but its a very important and crucial mission. The mandate given to them by the UN is to observe the ceasefire."

Khan renewed the call to strengthen the group to independently verify Indian claim of infiltration of militants from Pakistan side of Kashmir.

"Pakistan has said time and again that UNMOGIP should be strengthened, its role should be expanded," he said.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright © 2003 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager