Pm Reviews Situation, Pak Shells

Prime Minister I.K. Gujral at a high level meeting yesterday reviewed the situation arising out of the unprovoked and indiscriminate heavy artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops in Kargil town of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

The incident in which 15 civilians were killed and some 50 injured has reportedly sparked off an exodus from the region.

The new Army chief, Gen. V.P. Malik, who took over yesterday from Gen. Shankar Roychowdhury briefed the Prime Minister on the measures being taken to counter the pakistan shelling and the relief and rescue operations being conducted by defence and civilian authorities.

Official sources said India wanted to defuse the tension along the line of actual control (LAC). But if the Pakistani firing continued, a befitting reply would be given, they said.

Pakistani high commissioner in India, Qazi Ashraf Jehangir was summoned on Tuesday night by foreign secretary K. Raghunath who conveyed New Delhis strong protest over Tuesdays unprovoked shelling.

Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Satish Chandra met Pakistani acting foreign secretary in Islamabad yesterday and conveyed Indias concern over the incident.

The sources said the directors general of military operations of the two countries talked on the hotline on Tuesday.

However, Pak troops yesterday opened unprovoked artillery and mortar fire in Kupwara and Uri sectors agains. No one was injured., a defence ministry spokesman said.

Pakistani soldiers began firing at around 9 am targeting defence installations in the twin sectors.

Indian troops returned the fire, he said, adding there were no casualties on either side.

The spokesman said there was no fresh round of Pakistani firing last morning in Kargil town where 16 civilians were killed and over 50 wounded in Tuesdays shelling.

The shelling from across the border in Kargil sector stopped Tuesday night, he said.