This Article is From Jan 12, 2013

'Sadly, no substantial response from Pakistan yet', says Salman Khurshid: 10 latest developments

Paris / New Delhi: India has not got any substantial response from Pakistan yet on the "mutilation" of the bodies of the two jawans who were killed by Pakistani troops near the Line of Control, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has told NDTV. Of the two jawans who were killed on Tuesday, one was decapitated. The minister emphasised that this was "unacceptable and must be explained" but added that "we are not going to be pressurised by wild calls for revenge and reaction."

Here are the 10 latest developments in this story:

  1. Mr Khurshid said the situation demands a very "responsible, sensible and moderate behavior" but added that "we shouldn't really be lulled into believing that nothing went wrong." "We will do what is in the best interest of the country and peace," he said.

  2. Pakistani troops continued intermittent firing across the Line of Control (LoC) at five posts in the Krishna Ghati and Sona Gali sectors of Jammu and Kashmir all through last night, sources in the Indian Army have said. They added that the firing first began from the Pakistani side at around 4.30 pm on Friday after which India retaliated. However, there have been no reports of ceasefire violations since this morning.

  3. Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne has said that India may have to look at "some other options for compliance" if ceasefire violations by Pakistan continue. "We are monitoring the situation carefully because if these things continue to be the way they are and these violations continue to take place, then perhaps we may have to look at some other options for compliance," he told reporters in New Delhi

  4. There have been a series of high-level meetings in Delhi as India monitors the tension along the LoC in Kashmir. New Delhi has also sought a flag meeting between Indian and Pakistani commanders in Mendhar, but Pakistan is yet to respond to the request.

  5. The stand-off has impacted the cross-border trade and a bus service between the Poonch sector in India and Rawalakot on the Pakistan side of the Line of Control (LoC). Indian authorities say they have been informed by the Pakistani side that trade and travel has been suspended in that sector because of the tension in the region and the possibility of crossfire.

  6. Border trade is however unaffected between Uri and Chakan-da-Badh in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and across the Wagah-Attari border. Cross-border trade and bus services were both introduced to build confidence and trust between the two countries. Vegetables and fruits are bartered every week at designated trade centres along the LoC.

  7. When asked about the suspension of trade and the bus service, the Foreign Minister told NDTV that the "decision is for them to take" and added that "fortunately that has not happened completely and everywhere and in many places the services continue."

  8. Both sides have accused the other's troops of violating the ceasefire and crossing the LoC to kill jawans. Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal was summoned by the Pakistan government on Friday in protest against the death of a Pakistani soldier who died on Thursday evening allegedly in firing by Indian troops. A statement released after the meeting said Pakistan had protested against "the repeated, unacceptable and unprovoked attacks on Pakistani soldiers by the Indian army."

  9. Despite the hostility that has peaked since Tuesday when two Indian soldiers were killed and one of them was beheaded, both sides have cautioned against an escalation of the crisis. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah yesterday said, "We want the ceasefire between the two countries to continue because its violation affects the Jammu and Kashmir population."

  10. The tension began on Sunday when the Pakistani army accused India of killing one of its soldiers and wounding another in a cross-border attack. India said its troops had opened fire following a Pakistani mortar attack, but denied they crossed the border. Four soldiers have been killed in the last five days. This week marks a peak in hostility since 2003, when the ceasefire was agreed upon.



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