LoC tensions: Pak, India DGMOs talk on hotline
Pakistan Army lodged a strong protest for Line of Control (LoC) violation by Indian troops.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan and India Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) came into contact over hotline and discussed the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.
Pakistan Army lodged a strong protest for Line of Control (LoC) violation by Indian troops in Pandu sector today in which two Pakistani soldiers were seriously wounded.
It strongly rejected Indian allegations of LOC violation by Pakistani troops and killings of five Indian soldiers in Poonch sector.
The Director General Military Operations conveyed the sentiments to the Indian Director General Military Operations during a special hotline contact this morning. They discussed situation arising out of the recent Indian allegations on LoC.
Pak Army Director General Military Operations reiterated that Pakistan Army abide by the ceasefire agreement between two countries.
It may be recalled that Pakistan on Tuesday completely rejected the Indian media allegations about an attack across the LoC in the Poonch Sector in which five Indian soldiers claimed to have been killed, saying that it firmly adhered to the spirit of the 2003 agreement.
The Indian leadership itself appeared confused about the manner of the alleged attack and identity of the attackers. “These are baseless and unfounded allegations. Our military authorities have confirmed that there had been no exchange of fire that could have resulted in such an incident,” the Foreign Office spokesman said.
Normally, the Foreign Office doesn’t react to media accusations, but as events in New Delhi unfolded, India took up the matter diplomatically by summoning Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan.
Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Rudrendra Tandon in South Block delivered a verbal but ‘strong’ diplomatic message, the Indian sources said. According to the Indian media, Pakistani troops entered the Indian territory along the LoC in the Poonch Sector in Jammu and Kashmir late last night and ambushed a patrol, killing five Indian soldiers.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister A.K. Antony told the Lok Sabha that the attack was carried out by 20 heavily-armed terrorists along with persons in the “Pakistan Army uniform”. Defence Ministry sources did not come on record but anonymously told the Indian media “a Subedar and four Jawans of 21 Bihar Unit were killed in the attack, 450 metres from the LoC which took place at around 2am.”
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said the Indian nation could not be cowed down by such blatant acts of deceit and urged the government to take appropriate measures. She made the statement before the BJP could criticise the government.
Meanwhile, India has a lot of explaining to do and inform Pakistan as to how they identified the ‘terrorists’ and if the ‘persons’ in the Pakistan Army uniform were indeed regular Pakistani soldiers.
