Zeenews Bureau
Islamabad: Pakistan once again violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control by indulging in indiscriminate firing at the Indian troops on Sunday night. The firing by Pak Rangers occurred at atleast seven spots on the Indian side and continued for twenty-five minutes.
The Pakistani soldiers reportedly used small weapons in the Mendhar and Krishnaghati areas of the Valley. The incident occurred at 8pm. The Indian Army retaliated, albeit in a restrained fashion to the 19th violation of ceasefire by Pak troops this year.
The BSF had conveyed its displeasure in a flag meeting with Pakistan Rangers on Friday. India has reportedly asked for another such meeting after yesterday’s incident.
The violations of ceasefire continue even as the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan prepare to meet in New York on September 27 when Islamabad's commitment and action against terror emanating from its soil will come under review.
Pakistan's action against perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks will top the agenda of the meeting, which will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the first high-level contact between the two countries after the meeting between their Prime Ministers in July.
To prepare ground for the meeting, Foreign Secretaries of both the countries will meet on September 26 during which Salman Bashir will discuss with his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao all issues between the two countries, including terrorism and the "core issue" of Kashmir.
"The Foreign Secretaries meeting is being held in accordance with the decisions made during the talks between the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India at Sharm el-Sheikh in July," Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said.
"All the issues between the two countries, including terrorism and the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, will be discussed in these meetings," he told state-run APP, when asked about the agenda for the two meetings.
While Pakistan has been asking India to resume the stalled peace process, New Delhi maintains that any meaningful dialogue with Islamabad can only be based on fulfilment of its commitment not to allow its territory to be used in any manner for terrorist activities against it.
"The Foreign Ministers will meet to discuss the agenda prepared by the two Foreign Secretaries," Bashir said. He expressed the hope that these meetings will pave the way for the formal resumption of the stalled peace process between the two countries.
The meeting is a follow-up of the Summit meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt on July 16.
On the agenda for the two meetings, Bashir said: "All the issues between the two countries, including terrorism and the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, will be discussed in these meetings."
India’s External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had said on Thursday that the two foreign secretaries would meet in New York to review Islamabad action's against the 26/11 perpetrators.
First Published: Monday, September 21, 2009, 19:02