PM meets Army chief as Pak firing continues

SRINAGAR, OCT 1: A woman was killed and five, including an Army jawan, were wounded in renewed unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops at Kar...

SRINAGAR, OCT 1: A woman was killed and five, including an Army jawan, were wounded in renewed unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops at Karnah, Kupwara, Uri and Tangdhar border areas of north Kashmir today, Defence sources said.

Pakistani troops opened artillery and mortar fire in Kupwara and Uri sectors of the State around 0900 hours, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister IK Gujral today reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting. New Army chief VP Malik, who took over today, briefed the Prime Minister on the measures being taken to counter Pakistan shelling and the relief and rescue operations being conducted by Defence and civilian authorities.

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The meeting, presided by the Prime Minister, was attended by Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Home Minister Indrajit Gupta.

Late in the night, Gujral spoke to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the hotline and expressed concern over the repeated firing by the Pakistani troops. Four were injured at Nowgebra in Karnah, while a jawan was wounded in Kupwara sector in the intensified firing as the toll in yesterday’s Pakistani shelling rose to 17 today, with one more succumbing to injuries, an official said.

Giving apparent motives behind the unprovoked shelling, sources said Pakistani troops wanted to target the dominant Muslim sect in Kargil, as it was not supporting militants.

It could also be used as a cover to infiltrate militants into the Valley, as mountain passes would be blocked by snow during winter, they said.

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Islamabad, as in the past, was also attempting to keep the Kashmir issue alive internationally since Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not get the backing of US President Bill Clinton during his recent talks in New York, the sources said.

A spokesman said eight injured civilians had been airlifted to Srinagar by the Government and admitted to the SMHS Hospital, while 11 were receiving treatment at Kargil.

The bodies of the five deceased were being brought to Srinagar by road, he said.

Giving details of the firing, a Defence spokesman said Pakistan troops fired around 3,000 artillery shells of 105 mm and 82 mm mortar. They also fired about 9,000 rounds of the air defence artillery and small arms, besides 60 shells of the RCL gun, he added.

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The spokesman said the Indian troops in retaliation destroyed about 20 Pakistan bunkers across the Line of Actual Control.

State Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who visited Kargil announced an ex-gratia relief of rupees one lakh to the next of the kin and a Government job. He announced that Rs 50 lakh would be released as immediate relief.

In a related development, Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Satish Chandra met the Pakistani acting Foreign Secretary in Islamabad and conveyed India’s concern over the incident.Sources also said the Directors-General of military operations of the two countries talked on the hotline yesterday.