Border clashes: India is building illegal bunkers, says FO

Spokesperson says Indian forces using shelling as decoy to cover construction of fresh outposts along Working Boundary

ISLAMABAD:

As exchange of fire between two nuclear-armed neighbours continued, Pakistan on Thursday accused India of ‘illegally constructing new bunkers’ along the Working Boundary (WB).

At her weekly news briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told reporters that since 2010 there was an agreement between Pakistan and India that no new constructions would be made within 500 metres of the WB.

“But what we have seen this morning and over the last many days is that, under this fire, the Indians have been trying to build new bunkers,” alleged the spokesperson on a day when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the disputed territory of Kashmir as well as Siachen glacier.

There was no let-up in skirmishes on Thursday either, as Pakistan army accused Indian border security forces of resorting to ‘unprovoked’ firing in Shakargarh and Charwah sector near Sialkot.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Indian troops targeted the civilian population in the area but no loss of life was reported in the latest exchange of fire.

Pakistani troops effectively responded to the Indian firing, the ISPR added.



At least 20 people mostly civilians have so far been killed on both sides of the border in the ongoing clashes that have been the worst in a decade.  Both countries accused each other of starting the hostilities.

But Islamabad on Thursday again reiterated its stance that it was Indian troops which first instigated the clashes. The spokesperson insisted that Pakistan was observing restraint and had so far given a ‘measured’ response to the Indian forces’ ‘unprovoked’ firing along the LoC and the WB.

The spokesperson said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was likely to attend the summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) next month in Nepal. She, however, did not confirm whether the prime minister would have any chance to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in the backdrop of the ongoing tensions.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly on Thursday also passed a unanimous resolution strongly condemning the Indian army’s ‘unprovoked’ and ‘indiscriminate’ shelling into Pakistani territory from across the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary (WB).

“This house strongly condemns the Indian armed forces’ unprovoked and indiscriminate ceasefire violations of the LoC and the WB since September resulting in deaths of fourteen innocent civilians and injuring 61 others,” read the resolution.

The resolution was moved by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Relations and National Security Sartaj Aziz at the end of his speech on the escalating tension between the two neighbours.

“The house expresses heartfelt condolence with the bereaved families and prays for the full recovery of those who sustained injuries,” it said.

The resolution further called upon the government that while pursuing bilateral dialogue it should also request the UN and the international community to play their due role in setting the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir.

“[As] this dispute remains the bone of contention in Pakistan-India relations and a consistence source of tension in the region,” it said. The house also expressed its admiration and appreciation for the Pakistan army for the restraints exercised by them in the face of Indian provocations.

Later addressing the Senate, Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan would be launching a campaign to highlight Indian violations of human rights in Indian held Kashmir. “We will expose Indian atrocities and in this regard are going to start a campaign,” he added.

“There is no precedent of such large number of incidents at the WB and it is a well thought-out plan of India to divide Kashmir in three parts,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2014.