Fresh tension as India and Pakistan border row escalates

Source :Pakistan News

DELHI - India and Pakistan were Thursday locked in a fresh war of words and a bitter diplomatic row over a border skirmish that led to the killing of two Indian soldiers earlier this week.

There were reports of cross border mortar shelling again Thursday as Pakistan army alleged that Indian soldiers killed one of their border colleagues, in the worst outbreak of violence since the nuclear rivals agreed on a ceasefire a decade ago.

A Pakistan army spokesperson said one of soldiers was killed by "unprovoked" fire from the other side of a de facto border in Kashmir a Himalayan state claimed in full by both but ruled in parts.

If true, Thursday's would be the third fatal attack in five days along the ceasefire line or the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir between the two neighbours.

A Pakistani soldier was killed Sunday. This followed the killing and mutilation of two Indian soldiers Tuesday, officials from respective countries said.

The two sides have lodged diplomatic protests with Pakistan even proposing a UN probe into the killings.

But India has rejected the proposal of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) taking up the investigation into the incidents. The group is present on both sides of the LoC.

"We are certainly not going to agree to internationalise the issue or allow the UN to hold an inquiry. That demand is obviously rejected out of hand," Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said at a news conference.

He was speaking to the media after taking part in the meetings of the high level cabinet panel on security, also attended by Defence Minister A. K. Antony.

"We take a serious view of what happened. Whatever has to be done will be done," Chidambaram said as India alleged that one of the dead soldiers was decapitated brutally.

As the border tension raged, Pakistan disallowed Indian goods trucks from Jammu and Kashmir to enter its territory, temporarily halting the cross border trade.

In Islamabad, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar reiterated the demand for a third party enquiry into the ceasefire violations.

Khar said she was "unpleasantly surprised" by Indian accusations against Pakistan.

She however allayed fears that the standoff could escalate to derail the peace process with India.

"You asked whether this will set back or derail the (peace) process. I will hope not and I (do not) see it derailing or setting back the process," Khar told reporters at the Foreign Office.

"I hope both the countries will show their commitment to correct (the situation) as we are showing our commitment to correct. "