Border clashes: PM summons National Security Council meeting
The meeting, which will be held at 10am, will discuss matters pertaining to the continued clashes along the Line of Control (LoC) and the working boundary in Sialkot area as well as progress in the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan.
But the focus is likely to be on the border clashes, which threaten to escalate.
On the Pakistan side, some nine people have already been killed and three injured as Indian security forces continued firing and shelling near the working boundary, state media reported on Wednesday. On the Indian side, three people have reportedly been killed by relaliatory fire from Pakistan.
Military officials say Indian troops have repeatedly resorted to unprovoked firing across the working boundary and LoC for the past three days which has left at least 10 citizens dead and injured 42 others.
Pakistani troops have befittingly responded to every cross border firing from Indian troops.
However, Express News reported that incidents of cross border firing from the Indian side continued in Bajwat, Charwah, Harpal sectors on Wednesday evening.
'Everything will be fine soon,' says Modi
Reacting to the cross border attacks, Indian Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi in a cryptic statement on Wednesday said "everything will be fine soon."
Modi was speaking to reporters at Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Saha's home where he was attending an event to mark the 82nd Air Force Day, Times of India reported.
India, UN approached
The move comes after Pakistan had already approached United Nations military observers groups, looking for India to be directed to immediately stop shelling and help Islamabad preserve tranquillity.
A day after the Foreign Office lodged a protest with New Delhi on fresh ceasefire violations, Pakistan's representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Masood Khan, approached the UN military observer group in New York.
Voicing concern over the increase in violations by Indian security forces along the LoC, Masood Khan called on the Indian government to immediately cease fire, according to an official statement.
"It was saddening that the Indian government had not been able to restrain its forces," he said.
"The government of Pakistan had exercised restraint and extended a hand to India, and this unprovoked firing was a cause of deep concern," said Masood Khan, while addressing the UN General Assembly plenary meeting.
For his part, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged both India and Pakistan to resolve their outstanding issues diplomatically and through discussion, Radio Pakistan reported.
Indian media reported that Indian troops targeted 37 Pakistani posts which resulted in 15 deaths and more than 30 injuries on the Pakistani side.
In a statement on the matter on Tuesday, Sartaj Aziz, advisor to the prime minister on national security and foreign affairs, stressed that ceasefire at the LoC and the working boundary must be preserved in the larger interest of the region and the peoples of the two countries.
"For seven days now, the Indian security forces have been firing and shelling across the LoC and working boundary," read Aziz's statement.
"It is sad that the Indian government has not been able to restrain its forces despite strong diplomatic protest by Pakistan," he said.
The United States has also expressed concern at the skirmishes. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said that the US has been in contact with Pakistan and India to encourage the two countries to resolve all issues through dialogue.
Death and displacement
On Wednesday, a woman injured by mortar fire in the Sharkargarh sector of Sialkot succumbed to her injuries, state media in Pakistan added.
Earlier, eight people were killed in the Chaprar Sector due to cross border firing by Indian security forces while three others were injured in Sajeet Garh sector of Sialkot area as a result of shelling.
As many as 20,000 people have so far migrated from the area due to the ongoing exchange of fire between Pakistani and Indian border forces at the working boundary, private television channels reported on Wednesday. We have often called for making full use of the channels available like hotline between DGs MO and Sector Commanders meetings, said Sartaj Aziz in his statement.
"There was an Eid day in Pakistan but the Indian forces, in complete disregard of the festive event, carried on the fire and put four innocent lives to death," he said.
"The Indian forces played havoc with the lives of four families whose dear ones embraced shahadat," he added. "We extended a hand of friendship to India. However, with abrupt cancellation of Foreign Secretary level talks, the Indian side has shunned all our peace overtures."
According to a statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan military retaliated in response to Indian troops firing.
"Fresh ceasefire violation [carried out] by India along working boundary in Pukhlian, Chaprar, Charwa Sector mortar and small arms fire. Being responded effectively," Director General ISPR Major General Asim Bajwa tweeted.
COMMENTS (15)
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Pakistan should know that there is a different government in place in India
Both government are using this for gains. Pathetic!!
@Dharma: Yes and there is enough evidence about who started it. Just look at te time lline of when India started talking about ceasefire violation and whne Pakistan did. But who should evaluate that evidence? Pakistan wants to pull back UNMOGIP and India is determined to keep 3rd paries out.
@Pakistani: "@Rafi Ka Deewana: how? AFAIK, there is election very near in some state of india, this is indian mentality to gain vote by emotionally black mailing their countrymen by provoking emotions against Pakistan."
Please note that no elections in India have been won by war mongering even at the cnter - let alone state level elections. There is a history that all wars with India have been started by PAkistan. It is not I but your Air Marshal Asghar Khan (Retired) who says that. It was Pakistan policy to arm, train, fund and send jihadis to India. It is not I who says that. It isPakistani leaders who admit that this was the policy - but they claim it has stopped now.
@Parvez: In another country they could have ordered their army to stop violating ceasefire which attract retaliatory fire from the neighbour. In Pakistan though no one dares do that.
ET please print.
Pakistan does no longer have an effective Government nor a working parliament.. A team of advisors are guiding the sitting duck Prime Minister while its military is now engaged in the administration and feeding of IDP's in the country.
Rex Minor
@Pakistani: Please visit India to know how big an issue Pakistan is for us. Let me tell you what we think about Pakstanis - simply put, they are good people governed by bad leaders.
That is it.
BTW Indian election is localized. So if I am looking to my local candidate or city government, i'd rather see how many roads have been built and how the transport mechanism is functioning rather than worrying about any other country incl. Pakistan. Current state elections stand in that line only.
Even in the national election, foreign relations are a worry, but we are more worried about the GDP, development and poverty alleviation. I hope you don't base your opinion listening to Arnab who is a megalomaniac and someone who in my view is without any reason disrespectful to Pakistani guests, of whom many I found very decent and dignified and some just drawn into his confrontational trap. But that's how the TRP game is played.
I hope the border skirmishes end soon. I hear guns are silent currently. Inshallah, someday you and I and not our governments would be able to talk without the shadow of guns.
@Pakistani: You are right there is election in Haryana and maharastra. And if pm losses election enemy wins. And opposition is tearing the PM up for doing nothing when is enemy is striking us, which results in public anger against govt and eventually loss for bjp. So who is working to reduce Modi's power status by cross border violation? Plus it's common every year before winder cross border voilation to distract indian army and send infiltrators in. Now that election is coming targets are needed for these people.
Neha Agrawal - Ditto. I doubt if any sane Indian / Pakistani wants this to escalate.
Pakistani, Azj - India (Congress party) had more reasons during elections a few months back. The US and other countries want to sell arms to India at any cost, and the Indians have money. Conflict with Pakistan will not be any advantage to India in this regard.
Well, let us hope they stop. It doesn't matter who started first. Now both are in it and helpless citizens are getting killed on either side.
@Rafi Ka Deewana:
I agree somewhat but think both sides have a gain in it.
Govt. yes. Apart from being incompetent as ever, shifting most of the attention from current IK situation to India.
As for India, its in an arms race, convincing congress/ public to dispense more funds for defense needs. Hitting Pakistan when it knows its busy fighting another war and expecting little response.
@Rafi Ka Deewana: how? AFAIK, there is election very near in some state of india, this is indian mentality to gain vote by emotionally black mailing their countrymen by provoking emotions against Pakistan. Just take advantage of the situation.
I want peace for both. If that can be provided. @Rafi Ka Deewana:
Indian media says its Pakistan violation and Pakistani says Indian violation.
In this day and age of advanced surveillance technology, is it really so hard to find out who did the ceasefire violations? How about both sides decide to install surveillance systems to find out the truth and let the world know about it? One party is definitely guilty and the people of both nations have a right to know who is the guilty one.
In any other self respecting country this meeting would have been called on the same day.
When I think rationally and without any biases, given the last two months of events - internally as well as externally - for both Pakistan and India, my conclusion is that Pakistan (the government, not the country) has more to gain with the ceasefire violation.