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Wednesday, August 7, 2013

12.05 pm: No justificiation for holding talks with Pakistan, says Advani


Veteran BJP leader LK Advani, speaking to Times Now, slammed Defence Minister AK Antony saying he must explain the contradiction in his statement.


“The minister’s statement exonerates Pakistan.. there is a contradiction in what he is saying and what the ministry has said… he needs to explain this,” Advani said.


Advani also said the there was no justification for the government to hold talks with Pakistan after Tuesday’s attacks.


“If Pakistan can do what they have done, there is no justification for having talks with them,” he said.


11.30 am: Army Chief pays tribute to martyred soldiers


Army Chief General Bikram Singh on Wednesday paid tributes to the five martyred soldiers in Jammu.


Singh was unable to fly to Poonch district and visit the contingent due to bad weather.



11.10 am: Antony should apologise for giving Pakistan a clean chit, says BJP

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj slammed Defence Minister AK Antony for giving Pakistan a clean chit saying he should immediately apologise to the country.


“The Defence minister has contradicted his own ministry.. he has given Pakistan a clean chit in the killings.. he should apologise before the country,” she said.


Antony, however, was not present in the House forcing Swaraj to call the attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.


In the Rajya Sabha, BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu sought clarification on Defence Minister AK Antony’s statement saying the minister has let down the country.


“What is wrong with this government? The minister and the ministry are saying two different things,” Naidu said.


10.35 am: Will Parliament pass resolution against Pakistan?


Tuesday’s attack is set to dominate Parliament again today with the Opposition likely to target the government over its policy on Pakistan.


The BJP has also said it would support any resolution in Parliament condemning yesterday’s attack, in order to send a strong message to Pakistan.


Meanwhile, cricketer Gautam Gambhir also ridiculed India’s relations with Pakistan, on Twitter.



10.20 am: Tuesday killings in retaliation against Indian Ops?


Tuesday’s ambush, highly-placed army sources have told Firstpost, was almost certainly carried out to retaliate against a series of successful Indian operations in the northern stretches of the Line of Control.


Early this month, Zafran Ghulam Sarwar, Wajid Akbar, Mohammad Wajid Akbar and Mohammad Faisal left their homes on the Pakistani side of the control in the Neelam valley, and never came back. Pakistan claims they were innocent herb collectors, who were kidnapped by an Indian special forces engaged in an offensive counter-terrorism operation across the Line of Control.


India says it has no idea what happened to the men. Not long after they disappeared, though, five still-unidentified men were shot dead by Indian troops in the same area, 500 metres on the Indian side of the Line of Control. Naresh Vij, an Indian army spokesperson, said troops had “not recovered any bodies as they are lying very far.” Read more here.


10.08 am: Army Chief Bikram Singh arrives in Jammu


Army Chief General Bikram Singh has arrived in Jammu, from where he will head to the ambush site. Singh is expected to meet the commanding officer and troops of the battalions whose troops were killed in the ambush, Army officials had said.


10.05 am: We don’t know what will happen next, fear Poonch villagers


Villagers living along the Line of Control in Poonch district are apprehensive of what the future holds for them. Peer Zahir Ahmad, 55, a resident of Khari village told Firstpost that before the ceasefire they had to keep migrating because of the continuous shelling along the LoC, and were tired of living nomadic, unsettled lives.


“With the ceasefire between the two nations in 2003 things had improved, we had even destroyed the mud houses which were primarily built due to frequent firing. We have constructed concrete houses now. But after today’s (Tuesday’s) incident no one knows what will happen. The future is uncertain,” he said.


Another resident, Abudul Hamid Malik ,43, says he is afraid of sending his children to school as it is exposed to shelling. “After the tension erupted again on LoC, I stopped my children from going to school because I don’t know when a shell could land up there and kill them. If the shell lands here in my home at least I will die with my family,” he said. Read more here.


9.30 am: Concerned about violence along LoC, says US


The United States on Tuesday said it was concerned about violence along the LoC and added that its policy on Kashmir has not changed.


“We are aware of these unconfirmed reports and are concerned about any violence along the Line of Control. We still believe that the pace, scope, and character of India and Pakistan’s dialogue on Kashmir is for those two countries to determine,” US State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said.


“The policy on Kashmir has not changed. We hope that India and Pakistan will continue the steps they’ve recently taken to improve their bilateral relations,” Psaki added.



9.15 am: Indo-Pak talks are useless, says BJP


The BJP on Wednesday slammed the government and said there needs to be action, not talks with its neighbour.


“There is no use of talks.. the government needs to send a strong message to Pakistan..” BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said.


On Tuesday, speaking in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley said the government has to immediately change its foreign policy and tweak it according to Pakistan’s attitude towards India.


“Our PM is scheduled to meet Nawaz Sharif in September this year.. the meeting should be cancelled,” BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said on Tuesday.



9.05 am: Indo-Pak talks to continue, says Congress


Talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif will be held in September, the Congress party said today.


Congress spokesman PC Chacko said all issues between the two countries could only be solved across the talks table.


Both the PMs are scheduled to meet at the United Nations General Assembly in September this year.


8.35 am: BJP leaders to meet PM, urge cancellation of talks

Senior BJP leaders will call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later today and urge him to cancel talks with Pakistan, CNN-IBN reported.


The BJP will also seek clarification on the government’s stand on relations with  Pakistan.


8.15 am: Over 250 terrorists waiting to enter India?


In July this year, the Indian Army had said that there were 250-300 terrorists in groups of ten waiting to infiltrate Indian territory.


“250 to 300 terrorists in groups of ten or 20 are waiting to sneak inside Indian territory with inputs being that their concentration is maximum opposite Poonch,” General Officer Commanding (GoC) 19 Corps, Lt Gen D S Hooda had told reporters.


“There are inputs that they (militants) want to come inside our territory for causing casualty to our troops at the border posts,” he had said. Read more about it here.


7.50 am: Chavan condoles death of soldier from Kolhapur


Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan condoled the death of Indian Army soldier Pundalik Mane from Kolhapur, who lost his life during an ambush at Poonch sector on Tuesday, and said the country would not forget his sacrifice.


“Everyone is proud of the sacrifice made by this brave jawan,” the chief minister said.


Mane hailed from Pimpalgaon village in Kagal taluka of Kolhapur district. - PTI


7.31 am: Bihar to give slain soldiers state funeral


The bodies of the five Indian soldiers who were martyred on Tuesday is expected to reach Delhi today. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a state funeral for the four soldiers from his state.


The family of the slain soldiers would get Rs 10 lakh compensation from the state government, sources in Kumar’s office told PTI.


7.20 am: Army Chief to visit ambush site


Army Chief General Bikram Singh has left for Nagrota, Jammu for a briefing by the Army. He is also expected to visit the site of the ambush.


Gen Bikram Singh is expected to meet the commanding officer and troops of the battalions whose troops were killed in the ambush, Army officials said.


7.10 am: PM-Sharif talks under cloud?


According to the Times of India, Tuesday’s ceasefire violation could hamper proposed talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.


Singh and Sharif were to hold talks on the sidelines of UN General Assembly in New York next month.


Updates for 6 August end


8:15 pm: Salman Khurshid says they will do the ‘right thing’


Minister for External Affairs has done what he does best and spun an elaborate web of words when asked about his opinion on the attack on soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir.


“I feel the concern and the pain and I feel the responsibility because we are in the government and we have a responsibility,” the minister told ANI.


“But we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. We don’t want to create a situation that will become detrimental and destructive of India’s security and peace,” Khurshid said.


“We will factor in every dimension and do what is absolutely necessary in the national interest,” he said.


7: 15 pm: BJP activists protest outside Defence Minister’s residence 


BJP activists are protesting outside AK Antony’s residence in Delhi to protest against the attack along the Line of Control and attempted to breach the barricade.




6:30 pm: PM speaks to Defence Minister about attack


The Prime Minister has reportedly spoken to Defence Minister AK Antony over the incident along the LoC which left five Indian jawans dead.


What he said though is still unknown.


5:40 pm: Defence Minister says he has limited details about today’s attack 


After being accused by the opposition of giving Pakistan an escape route by calling those who attacked the Indian soldiers ‘terrorists’, Defence Minister AK Antony said he had made the statement based on what little information he had.


My response was a proper response from a responsible government, he said, 


“At this stage we don’t want to jump to conclusions,” Antony said.


India is a responsible country and that is why such a statement had been made, he said.


“Due to this I can only say that 20 armed terrorists dressed as Pakistan Army soldiers attacked our soldiers,” he said.


He said the government was ensuring that the armed forces were prepared to take on any threat.


“We are strengthening our capabilities and our armed forces are on vigil 24 hours a day,” the minister said.


He said that Army Chief had assured him that they are confident of facing such incidents of intrusion in the future.


5:30 pm: Army chief to visit J&K after killing of five soldiers


PTI reports that Army Chief General Bikram Singh is to visit Poonch, where five
soldiers were killed in an ambush along the Line of Control.


Given his reaction to the last incident where two soldiers were killed, it wouldn’t be unexpected for the Army Chief to be a lot more blunt when it comes to his choice of words.


4:30 pm: Pakistan issues statement denying involvement in attack


Here’s the full statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry:


Pakistan rejects the allegations carried by some sections of the Indian media of an attack across the LoC in the Poonch sector in which five Indian soldiers were claimed to have been killed. 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.


Pakistan remains committed to the ceasefire agreement of 2003 which is an important Confidence Building Measure and should be respected in letter and spirit. Pakistan also urges the need for abiding by and strengthening existing military mechanisms to ensure that such ill-founded reports that have the potential of vitiating the atmosphere, are avoided.


Pakistan is committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India and looks forward to an early resumption of the dialogue process. It is important that both sides make serious efforts in maintaining the positive atmosphere and avoid negative propaganda.


4.00 pm: Pakistan in a constant state of denial, says Jaitley


Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said the killing of five soldiers in Poonch district was a condemnable incident saying Pakistan was in constant state of denial and the line of distinction between state and non-state actors in Pakistan is quite blurred.


Jaitley also said that the time has come to give Pakistan a befitting reply and said he expects the government to elaborate on what its foreign policy is.


Jaitley also hit out at Defence Minister AK Antony saying his statement on ‘men dressed in Pak military uniforms’ was an escape route for Pakistan.


“Is the Pakistan government in full control of what happens in Pakistan? Who is in control of Pakistan is an unanswered question. Therefore India should never lower its guard in border issues.”


“We must be conscious of the fact that the principle issue is the sovereignty of India, the interest of India… We cannot make a spectacle of ourselves in front of the world,” he said.


3.55 pm: Names of those martyred by Pak attack


Prem Nath Singh, Shambhu Saran Ray, Vyay Kumar Ray, Raghunandan Prasad and Pundalik Mane.

3.50 pm: India cannot be cowed down by such attacks, says Sonia Gandhi


Congress President and UPA Chief Sonia Gandhi said India will not be cowed down by such blatant acts of deceit and urged the government to take up appropriate measures.


Gandhi also expressed deep grief at the loss of lives and said the country stands by their families.






3.10 pm: Army is prepared for necessary action, says Antony


Defence Minister AK Antony condemned the unprovoked attack by Pakistan and assured the House that the Indian Army was ready to take all necessary steps.


Speaking in Lok Sabha, the Minister briefed the members on the attack and said at least 20 men dressed in Pakistan military uniforms crossed the LoC and attacked the Indian post, leaving five soldiers martyred and one injured.


Antony said 17 infiltration bids were foiled this year and 19 hardcore terrorists have been killed in the last two months along the LoC and in Kashmir.


He also said that the number of ceasefire violations have doubled compared to last year in the same corresponding period.



2.35 pm: Pak Dy High Commissioner summoned by govt


Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner was summoned by the Indian government and a strong protest has been lodged over the incident at the LoC.


Speaking in Lok Sabha, Defence Minister AK Antony said a strong message has been sent to Pakistan through appropriate diplomatic channels.



2.00 pm: Oppositions remarks are extremely unfortunate: Manish Tewari


Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari also slammed the Opposition saying it was unfortunate that they reacted without full details of the incident.


“Some things are above politics… without complete details the Opposition has gone to say things.. I think it is extremely unfortunate.”



1.50 pm: 7th major violation in Poonch district


Army sources have told Times Now that Tuesday’s attack is the 7th major cease fire violation in the Poonch sector along the Line of Control.


According to CNN-IBN, there have been 12 ceasefires since 1 December, 2012; 71 in 2012; 51 in 2011; 44 in 2010.


1.40 pm: Cong hits back at Oppn, says decency should not be misinterpreted as weakness


As expected, the Jammu Kashmir attack has taken a political turn. From the exchange of fire along the LoC, the fight is now in Parliament.


Congress spokesperson Renuka Choudhary slammed the Opposition saying decency should not be misconstrued for weakness and the government knows how to answer such attacks.


“Sharafat ko kamzori nahi maan-ni chahiye. Humko javab dena aata ha,” she said.


She also slammed Yashwant Sinha for his earlier comment on the Congress party’s asking: “Do we want the world to think that there are two views on national security in India? The Opposition is wrong.”


1.06 pm: One soldier also injured in Pakistan attack


A senior Army officer has told PTI the attack in Jammu & Kashmir was carried out by the troops of 2 PoK Brigade, which is deployed in that sector. The officer said all the jawans have died of gunshot wounds and there was no beheading or mutilation of bodies.


“One Indian jawan was also injured in the latest Pakistani attack, triggering tension along the borderline,” he added. The injured soldier has been admitted to a hospital.



“A party of six jawans was on routine patrol between fencing and the post, when Pakistan troops attacked them by opening firing near the Sarla battalion post area along LoC in Poonch district during pre-dawn time,” he said, adding that the Pakistan Army had violated the ceasefire agreement.


The deceased jawans belonged to the 21 Bihar Regiment post at Sarla forward area along the LoC in Chakan-Da-Bagh sector of Poonch.


Giving details, the officer said the patrol had lost contact with the Army unit at around 0115 hours, close to the time of the attack. “We sent a patrol to the area around 0530 hours today and
found five jawans dead with gunshot wounds. One was injured and he is in utter shock,” he said.


The bodies have been brought back to unit area, he said.


12.35 pm: Congress party should say whether it is with India or Pakistan, says Yashwant Sinha


Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha slammed the government saying it  was high time the country responded back to Pakistan in the same manner, calling for a debate in Parliament on the same issue.


“Is the Congress with India or with Pakistan? They should come clear on it,” he said.


“Since January there have been continuous attacks.. our Army, this Parliament, this country has the strength… we should respond back in the same way,” he said.


Sinha also demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh make a statement in the House.


12.20 pm: Betrayal by Pakistan is sad, says Mulayam Yadav


SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav condemned the attack by Pakistan and questioned said it’s high time India stopped trusting its neighbour.


“Betrayal by Pakistan is sad.. they do not respect our borders.. yet we still want friendship with them… I am also saying that China will attack India.”

12.17 pm: Heard attack along LoC: Ex sarpanch
Mohammad Fazl, ex sarpanch of Chakan da Bagh, said he heard firing at night and was awake till 3 am. Speaking to ANI, Fazl said, “children were huddled at night on hearing firing on LoC… it is common here.. we heard firing for a long time.”

AP AP


12.05 pm: Group of 15 soldiers attacked Indian post


Army sources have told CNN-IBN that a group of at least 15 Pakistani soldiers crossed the LoC and attacked six Indian soldiers. The incident occurred between midnight and 1.30 am.


11.59 am: Rahul asks govt to take up issue at highest level


Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi expressed shock at the cowardly attack and said the government needs to take it up at the highest level.


Congress media chief Ajay Maken quoted Gandhi as saying,”Rahul Gandhi has expressed shock and pain at the cowardly killing of 5 of our Jawans by Pakistan…Gandhi also urged the Government to take this provocative act by Pak at the highest level.”


11.47 am: Pak denies attack, says no firing from its side


Pakistan on Tuesday denied it violated ceasefire agreements saying there was no firing from its side. “There was no indiscriminate firing from our side,” one security official told Reuters.


Another official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to reporters, denied there had been an exchange of fire on the border between the nuclear powers. “There was no such incident whatsoever,” he said. “There was no firing on the border.” - Reuters


Pakistan Army official DG, ISPR Bgr Waseem Abbasi told Times Now there was no involvement from Pakistan’s side. “There was no ceasefire violation from our side.. I cannot comment on what your media has to say..,” he said.


11.31 am: Modi slams govt, says such attacks are unacceptable


Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi slammed the government saying such attacks were unacceptable.


“From China’s intrusions to Pakistan’s ambushes- UPA Government has been absolutely lax in securing Indian borders. When will Centre wake up?,” Modi tweeted.


“My heartfelt condolences to the families of the brave soldiers,” he added.



11.25 am: What is the govt’s policy on Pakistan?


The BJP hit out at the government demanding that the Foreign Minister make a statement in Parliament on what the govt’s policy on Pakistan and China is.


“We don’t want facts.. they are already out in the media.. we want to know what the policy on Pakistan is..” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said.


11.17 am: Rajya Sabha adjourned till noon over soldiers deaths


The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned over the issue of the soldiers death. However it is likely that either defence Minister AK Antony or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make a statement later.


Meanwhile the army is scheduled to issue a detailed response in about 30 minutes, CNN-IBN reported.


11.10 am: Rajya Sabha in uproar over killing of soldiers in J&K


Leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, has called for the Prime Minister to make a statement on the death of the five jawans in Jammu and kashmir. Speaking in the upper house of Parliament amid angry protests and uproar, the opposition is asking that whoever speaks on behalf of the government answer all questions related to the incident.


Earlier MoS Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla termed the incident as ‘most unfortunate’ and said he understood the sentiment of the house.


10.30 am: Omar Abdullah condemns killing of soldiers


Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack and said such incidents would not help normalise ties between the two countries.


“These incidents don’t help efforts to normalise or even improve relations with Pak & call in to question Pak Govt’s recent overtures,” Abdullah tweeted.


He also expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. “Was briefed early this morning about news that 5 of our soldiers had been killed on the LOC. Heartfelt condolences to their next of kin,” he said.




Meanwhile, the BJP hit out at the government asking if they had any policy on dealing with Pakistan. “What is the govt’s policy on Pakistan? And what are they doing… both China and Pakistan have been violating the border…,” party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.


10.00 am: Pak violates ceasefire again


Five Indian soldiers have been killed along the Line of Control in Kashmir, in another violation of the ceasefire by Pakistan troops.


The attack on the Saral post in Chakkan da Bagh, Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, was carried out by a group of Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists with the help of Pakistani soldiers, sources told CNN-IBN.


Bihar Regiment’s 21st Battalion is deployed in the sector.


According to NDTV, the attack took place when the Indian Army soldiers were on patrol duty along the LoC in what the army describes as “an area domination exercise”.

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