Pak denies incursions even as Keran gunbattle enters 13th day

mangaloretoday.com

Hyderabad, Oct 6: Pakistan High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir denied all reports of incursions from Pakistan and called them ’baseless’. This even as the gunbattle between the Indian Army and terrorists in Keran has been going on for thirteen days. He called Pakistan a victim of terror adding that it is committed to the principles of the UN. "The narrative of terrorism and Pakistan is misplaced in India. We are victims of terrorism.

Many people have lost their lives to terrorism in Pakistan," he said. He also said that Pakistan believes in maintaining peace along the LoC and has always made efforts to respect the ceasefire. "We have always maintained that ceasefire should be respected. we have always taken up this issue when the two nations have met. Even at a military level we have had meetings to take stock of the situation," he said.

 

On the Keran operation that on Sunday entered its 13th day, Bashir said "the only solution, even to the Keran situation will be to respect the miliitary resolutions that have been taken." Bashir added that the friendship between the two countries should be maintained at all levels.

He also denied the reports of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif calling Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a ’dehati aaurat’ or a village woman. "We have a lot of respect for PM Manmohan Singh," he said. Meanwhile, the Army is battling 30 to 40 terrorists who had infiltrated in the Keran sector. Apart from that there have been several infiltration bids that have also been taking place along the Line of Control.

The Army had on Saturday foiled an infiltration bid in close vicinity to the ongoing Keran operation after a 2-hour gunbattle with the terrorists. Four terrorists had been killed in the incident and six AK 47 rifles, 4 pistols and other warlike ammunitions were recovered from the terrorists. Another infiltration bid
was foiled in Gujjardur area near Shallabattu in Jammu. Two infiltrators had been killed in the incident. A ceasefire violation on international border in Hiranagar area of Samba sector had also taken place on Thursday where the Pakistan rangers targeted the Pahadpur post of BSF.

The BSF fired in retaliation and foiled the infiltration bid. In Poonch too, the Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian posts at around 6:30 pm on Thursday. Indian troops guarding the border retaliated with the same calibre weaponry, which had resulted in a 20 minute gunbattle.