Omar hits out at Sharif, BSF asked to retaliate strongly

J&K chief minister says ceasefire violations could not have taken place without Pakistan PM's consent

With the latest ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir injuring 11 civilians, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today hit out at its Premier Nawaz Sharif while the BSF has been asked by the Union Government to retaliate with equal measure any unprovoked firing.

In the fresh violation, three more civilians were injured as Pakistani troops opened fire and shelled 17 border out posts and hamlets along the International Border(IB) in Jammu and Samba districts overnight taking to 11 the total number of injured civilians.

As the massive spurt in ceasefire violations sparked concern in India, BJP said these incidents along the Line of Contol(LoC) and the IB in J and K are totally "unacceptable" and asked the Centre to "teach Pakistan a lesson" through political means.

Omar, who met the border dwellers injured in the Pakistani shelling at GMC Hospital in Jammu this morning, slammed Sharif over the ceasefire violations, maintaining it cannot take place without his consent and questioned what was the use of his talking friendship and dialogue with India.

"As a Primer Minister of Pakistan, the violation of ceasefire cannot be without his consent", Omar said while addressing a large gathering of affected people in border area of R S Pura belt of Jammu district. "Clearly, he either lacks the will, intention and sincerity or has no control over his Army."

"If that is so then what is the use of talking friendship and dialogue by Pak Premier," he asked the leadership of Pakistan.

Omar said Sharif should honour the 2003 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. "If Sharif wants to go the "extra mile" to make peace with India he should first ensure that the ceasefire violations stop."

Highly placed sources in Delhi said the Border Security Force(BSF) has been given directions to retaliate with equal measure any unprovoked firing from across the border.

At the same time, BSF is likely to make fresh efforts to have a flag meeting with its counterpart Pakistan Rangers to defuse tension along the Indo-Pak border in the wake of continuous heavy exchange of firing between the two forces.

The Home Ministry has asked the BSF to try to hold a flag meeting with Pakistan Rangers as soon as possible to reduce tension along the IB.

"The activities taking place on the border since the last two months are unacceptable. Time has come to respond to Pakistan in clear terms because if it does not stop what it is doing, then there are many political ways to teach the country a lesson so that it does not dare to do such things again," BJP national spokesman Prakash Javadekar said in Srinagar.