New Delhi/Sialkot - Responding to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs call for a new beginning in relations, India on Tuesday said talks cannot take place as long as New Delhis concerns stay unaddressed.
Addressing a press conference, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, We welcome Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs hand of friendship. However, we want to tell Pakistan that there will be no talks if Islamabad fails to respond to New Delhis concerns.
Pakistan must also respond immediately on killing of five Indian soldiers along the LoC recently, he added.
The MEA spokesperson reiterated, We welcome newly-elected Pakistan PMs commitment, which is defined by peace and cooperation. However, we would like to make it clear that there will be no talks until Pakistan responds to the killing of our soldiers.
The MEA spokesperson said when there is unprovoked firing along the LoC then naturally there will be consequences in bilateral ties.
He further asked Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks and bring them to justice at the earliest.
Akbaruddin stated that maintaining peace on LoC is one of the most important Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between the two countries hence it is important for Pakistan to stop allowing its soil to be used for launching terror attacks against India.
Akbaruddin said India wanted an environment free of terror, adding that the events of last week did not fit into that. He also called upon Pakistan to take action against Hafiz Saeed the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Meanwhile, a soldier of the Pakistans Chenab Rangers, Qadeer Ahmed, was seriously injured on Tuesday by the Indian forces firing at Charwah Sector of Sialkot Working Boundary.
Senior officials of Chenab Rangers told the newsmen that the Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) started firing from Indian Narayan Post on the Pakistani border villages in Charwah Sector. The officials said that due to Indian firing a jawan of the Chenab Rangers, was seriously injured.
He was admitted to Sialkot Combined Military Hospital (CMH) here, where his condition was stated to be critical.
Chenab Rangers senior officials said that the firing started at about 7am which continued for 2 hours. The Chenab Rangers retaliated instantly due to which the Indian guns became silent. BSF used heavy machine guns and fired shells, the officials added.
The Indian firing created panic and harassment among the local people.
During another attack, the Indian Security Forces (BSF) also opened firing with heavy machine guns and sniper guns on Pakistani villages in Charwah Sector at 12 pm which continued for 30 minutes as well.
The Indian forces also tried to target Chenab Rangers Ashraf Shaheed Post, the officials stated.
On Monday, a Pakistani villager Bashir Ahmed, 43, was also seriously injured by Indian Forces firing in Shakargarh Sector of Sialkot Working Boundary here.
He was admitted to Sialkot Combined Military Hospital (CMH) here, where his condition was stated to be critical.
It was the seventh Indian firing incident on Pakistani bordering villages along Sialkot Working Boundary during the last nine days, the senior officials added.
On August 13th, 2013 the Indian forces had resorted to indiscriminate firing of Pakistani border villages.
On Aug 4th, Indian forces had firing of Sialkot Working Boundarys Bajwat Sector and on Aug 5th, the Indian forces had also shelled Pakistani bordering villages in Charwah Sector.
On August 3rd, 2013, an Indian remote control spy plane had also violated the Pakistani airspace near Bajwat-Sialkot Sector of Sialkot Working Boundary here.
Separately, an Indian newspaper claimed that Pakistan Foreign Office had advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to reduce its diplomatic staff in New Delhi after threats to them and violation of ceasefire by Indian forces at the Line of Control (LoC).
The newspaper claimed that Pakistan was considering to cut its diplomatic staff after Indian authorities failed to provide proper security to diplomatic missions.
India spurns talks offer; Another Pak TROOP injured by BSF firing
More Indian cross-border firing: Civilian dead, child injured
One civilian was killed and a child was injured in unprovoked firing by the Indian Army in Battal Sector across the Line of Control (LoC) Wednesday morning, Express News reported.
Tensions have flared in the Kashmir valley since the ambush and killing last week of five Indian soldiers in the Poonch sector, which India blamed on the Pakistani army.
The ambush sparked a series of cross-border skirmishes which the rival neighbours blamed on each other.
Pakistan accused India of killing a civilian during firing on Monday and summoned its envoy in Islamabad to register a protest.
Last weeks ambush was the deadliest such incident along the LoC since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in 2003.
Pakistan denied its soldiers were involved in the attack.
Despite ongoing cross-border incidents, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called for a new beginning in relations with India amid high tension over the disputed region of Kashmir.
More Indian cross-border firing: Civilian dead, child injured – The Express Tribune