NEW
DELHI, June 5 (IslamOnline) - Indian and Pakistani forces have stepped
up exchange of heavy fire in various sectors along the International
Border as well as the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Cross-border
firing has spread to the chilly Siachen Glacier-Saltoro Ridge sector,
the highest altitude battlefield in the world, which is witnessing
continuous heavy artillery and mortar shelling between the two sides
since the evening of Monday, June 3 .
Exchange
of artillery and mortar fire is also taking place in Batalik, Kargil
and Dras sectors of LoC. At least, nine Pakistani bunkers were
destroyed in Kargil and Dras, said an officer today.
In
Poonch, Rajouri and Naushera sectors, "retaliatory fire
assaults" by Indian forces led to "heavy damage to Pakistani
posts," according to Indian army claims.
In
Jammu sector exchange of artillery and mortar fire between Indian and
Pakistani troops continued along the Line of Control (LoC) overnight,
left a woman and a soldier injured, a defense spokesman said in Delhi
Wednesday. He added that some Pakistani soldiers were killed when
their forward post opposite Digwar village in Poonch district
collapsed in retaliatory action by Indian troops Monday evening.
Prime
Minister A.B. Vajpayee Wednesday ruled out de-escalation on the border
until "correct verification" of the end of infiltration and
dismantling of what he described as terrorist camps in Pakistan.
"The
question of de-escalation comes last. Why did the need for deployment
arise in the first place, to stop infiltration," Vajpayee said
responding to a question at a press conference in Almaty before he
left for India.
Vajpayee
also said that India is willing to consider any list of persons wanted
by Pakistan, even though such a list should not exist. "We have
heard that they have a list of persons wanted by them…We are ready
to consider any list if they give it to us," Vajpayee said in
reply to a question during a press conference.
Home
Minister L.K. Advani, on the other hand, said Wednesday that the
international community must force Pakistan to end cross-border
terrorism for good. Advani, a hawk, said that "If Washington
decides to force Pakistan, it will do it."
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Kashmiri
leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani |
"Should
international efforts fail to bring an end to Pakistani-backed
militancy in Kashmir, India will make up its own mind about resorting
to military action," Advani said in an interview to The Times
published Wednesday.
Stating
that the threat of war still remained, Advani said measures taken by
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to stop militants crossing into
Kashmir were tactical moves made under duress.
In
a related development, the main Kashmiri separatist group, Hurriyat
Conference, said today that no infiltration was taking place across
the LoC . It reiterated its stated stand that it would not enter into
a dialogue with India until New Delhi agreed to include Islamabad in
the parleys.
"We
outrightly reject the charge of cross-border terrorism or
infiltration. There is absolutely no infiltration or cross-border
terrorism and the ongoing freedom struggle in Kashmir is indigenous in
form and content," Hurriyat Chairman Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat told
reporters in Srinagar Wednesday.
"No
border exists in Kashmir. It is Line of Control that divides the two
parts of Kashmir. Why should the question of cross-border terrorism
come up?" Bhat said at a hurriedly called press conference. He
added that the international community should draw a line between
freedom struggle and terrorism.
Bhat
termed the Almaty declaration adopted at the end of the regional
security summit "balanced" and claimed that it recognized
the people's right to self-determination. He made it clear that while
seeking the settlement of disputes, "we should be guided by the
U.N. Charter."
Prof.
Bhat refused to budge from Hurriyat's earlier stand on tripartite
talks.
"Bilateral
talks between India and Pakistan, and India and people of Kashmir have
failed to address the issue so far. Therefore, we demand that when the
talks are held, the people of Kashmir who matter, should be involved
in the process to achieve a breakthrough," he said.
Fire-brand
Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a former Hurriyat Conference
chairman, who was present at the press conference, said that the
Kashmiri political prisoners lodged outside Kashmir were subjected to
mental and physical torture. He demanded their return to the Kashmir
Valley jails. He appealed to the International Red Cross and Amnesty
International to visit the prisoners
