Don`t take our restraint for granted, India to Pak

New Delhi: Blaming Pakistan for the killing of its five soldiers on August 6 in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, India on Monday said its restraint should not be taken for granted and that the incident will have consequences on bilateral relations.

"Our restraint should not be taken for granted; nor should the capacity of our armed forces and resolve of the government to uphold the sanctity of the LoC ever be doubted," Defence Minister A K Antony said in Rajya Sabha. In a suo motu statement, Antony said the incident would have consequences on the Indian behaviour on the LoC and its relations with Pakistan. The Minister`s statement comes at a time when in the recent past there have been several ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC. Stating that it has now become clear that specialist troops of Pakistani army were involved in the August 6 attack on the Indian side of the LoC, Antony said a group from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) had crossed the LoC and killed jawans. "We all know that nothing happens from Pakistan side of the LoC without support, assistance, facilitation and often, direct involvement of the Pakistan army," Antony said. "Those in Pakistan who are responsible for this tragedy and the brutal killing of two soldiers earlier this year should not go unpunished," he said. Antony said Pakistan should also show determined action to dismantle the terrorists networks, organisations and infrastructure and show tangible movement on bringing those responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack in November, 2008 to justice quickly. Antony, who had come under sharp attack for saying on August 8 that "terrorists along with some persons dressed in Pakistan army uniform" were responsible for the cross-LoC assault, today said that his statement had been based on available information at that time. "When I reported the incident to the House, it was Government`s obligation to report the facts as we knew them at that point of time, and my statement was based on the available information," Antony said. PTI