Pak Troops Suffer Casualties, 124 Bunkers Destroyed

A number of Pakistani troops were killed and their 124 bunkers destroyed when Indian soldiers repulsed artillery attacks from across the border in Jammu and

Kashmir, a defence ministry spokesman said yesterday. Four civilians were injured and some Indian bunkers damaged in Pakistani shelling in Uri, Nowgam and Kupwara sectors, he said.

We exercised restraint and responded in a limited way targeting only military installations, the spokesman said.

He said 45 Pakistani bunkers were destroyed and 21 damaged along the line of control in Uri, some 101-km from here.

Another 39 Pak bunkers were destroyed and 19 damaged when Pak and Indian troops traded fire along the border in Kupwara,he said.

Meanwhile , the CPI-M yesterday asked the government to firmly tell Pakistan that continuation of hostilities would be detrimental to the efforts being made to improve relations through the secretary-level talks.

The party politburo also asked the centre to probe the pattern of blasts in Delhi and on a running train near Ghaziabad.

These attacks are part of a pattern of terrorist violence which has been concentrated on the railways in the northwestern region, it said.

Expressing concern over the ''wanton shelling by Pakistan in Kargil town, the party said coming soon after talks between the two prime ministers this unwarranted provocation will vitiate the atmosphere.

The Pakistani government should be firmly told that continuation of such hostile activity will be detrimental to the efforts being made to improve relations through the secretary-level talks, the party politburo statement added.