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If Pakistan harms India, we are capable of responding with force: Omar - Hindustan Times
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the Centre should explore other options if Pakistan continues to violate ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC).
The statement came in the wake of reports of fresh firing incidents at 25 posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday night that lasted till Monday morning.
"The firing started at 8.30pm on Sunday evening and continued till about 6.30am Monday morning. Pakistan Rangers pounded mortar shells which hit many civilian areas," DIG BSF (Jammu frontier) Dharmender Parikh told Hindustan Times.
The BSF official said one jawan received minor injuries in Ramgarh sector, while a special police officer was hurt in Pargwal.
Amid no signs of cooling of tension along the India-Pakistan border, the chief minister said: "If Pakistan continues to fire, then we (India) will not respond with just talks, but have to find some other way... Obviously, this cannot be a one-sided affair. It cannot be a situation where we are the receiving end and no response is given."
Referring to the New York meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, Omar said Manmohan Singh was very forthright in putting across India's concerns.
"A mechanism had been worked out whereby the director generals of military operations (DGMO) of both countries would meet to discuss cooling of the LoC and international border. That has not happened so far. I believe that is an option that needs to be exercised, failing which obviously, government of India will have to look at responding in kind," he said.
A total of 136 ceasefire violations have been reported in 2013, the highest in the past 8 years.
Sunday's firing comes ahead of home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's likely visit to areas along the international border to review the security situation.
Pakistan rangers fired along Ramgarh, RS Pura, Arnia and Pargwal areas along the international border.
On Saturday as well, Pakistan had fired at 25 border outposts of BSF. "The BSF, Parikh said, restrained from retaliating when Pakistan started firing on Sunday morning in an attempt to calm down the situation, but after the intensity of firing increased in the evening and civilians areas were targeted, BSF responded in effective manner."
The heaviest firing, according to the BSF, was in Pargwal sector, which is being continuously fired upon and pounded for the past four days.
Mortar shells also hit some houses in Ramgarh and RS Pura sector and cattle were hurt.
People, mainly women, elders and children, migrated to a community hall in Ramgarh sector on Sunday night, he added. In adjoining Suchetgarh Kullian, about 60 people have already moved to safer places.
The firing has not only put the lives of civilians in danger, but is affecting their crops and cattle as well since they are not being allowed to move ahead of the fence by the security forces.
BSF officials claimed they have contacted their Pakistani counterparts at least three times to hold meetings to diffuse the tension, but the other side has not responded yet.
"We are only retaliating and that too when they fire heavily. The civilian population has also been affected and it is for this reason that we attempted to hold a flag meeting, but without any success," said a BSF official.
Earlier, the chief minister deputed a team of four Cabinet ministers to visit the border areas.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the Centre should explore other options if Pakistan continues to violate ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC).
The statement came in the wake of reports of fresh firing incidents at 25 posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday night that lasted till Monday morning.
"The firing started at 8.30pm on Sunday evening and continued till about 6.30am Monday morning. Pakistan Rangers pounded mortar shells which hit many civilian areas," DIG BSF (Jammu frontier) Dharmender Parikh told Hindustan Times.
The BSF official said one jawan received minor injuries in Ramgarh sector, while a special police officer was hurt in Pargwal.
Amid no signs of cooling of tension along the India-Pakistan border, the chief minister said: "If Pakistan continues to fire, then we (India) will not respond with just talks, but have to find some other way... Obviously, this cannot be a one-sided affair. It cannot be a situation where we are the receiving end and no response is given."
Referring to the New York meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, Omar said Manmohan Singh was very forthright in putting across India's concerns.
"A mechanism had been worked out whereby the director generals of military operations (DGMO) of both countries would meet to discuss cooling of the LoC and international border. That has not happened so far. I believe that is an option that needs to be exercised, failing which obviously, government of India will have to look at responding in kind," he said.
A total of 136 ceasefire violations have been reported in 2013, the highest in the past 8 years.
Sunday's firing comes ahead of home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's likely visit to areas along the international border to review the security situation.
Pakistan rangers fired along Ramgarh, RS Pura, Arnia and Pargwal areas along the international border.
On Saturday as well, Pakistan had fired at 25 border outposts of BSF. "The BSF, Parikh said, restrained from retaliating when Pakistan started firing on Sunday morning in an attempt to calm down the situation, but after the intensity of firing increased in the evening and civilians areas were targeted, BSF responded in effective manner."
The heaviest firing, according to the BSF, was in Pargwal sector, which is being continuously fired upon and pounded for the past four days.
Mortar shells also hit some houses in Ramgarh and RS Pura sector and cattle were hurt.
People, mainly women, elders and children, migrated to a community hall in Ramgarh sector on Sunday night, he added. In adjoining Suchetgarh Kullian, about 60 people have already moved to safer places.
The firing has not only put the lives of civilians in danger, but is affecting their crops and cattle as well since they are not being allowed to move ahead of the fence by the security forces.
BSF officials claimed they have contacted their Pakistani counterparts at least three times to hold meetings to diffuse the tension, but the other side has not responded yet.
"We are only retaliating and that too when they fire heavily. The civilian population has also been affected and it is for this reason that we attempted to hold a flag meeting, but without any success," said a BSF official.
Earlier, the chief minister deputed a team of four Cabinet ministers to visit the border areas.
