Antony retracts statement on LoC killing, now blames Pak

Under sustained attack from the Opposition over his statement on the killing of five soldiers in Poonch sector, Defence Minister A K Antony today retracted from it and squarely blamed the Pakistan Army for the "brutal" act.
He also warned that the Tuesday incident will have "consequences" on India's behaviour on the Line of Control and on relations with Pakistan.
"It is now clear that the specialist troops of Pakistan Army were involved in this attack when a group from Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK) side crossed the LoC and killed our brave jawans," he said in the statement aimed at controlling the damage by his Tuesday's version.

The fresh statement by Defence Minister A K Antony in the Lok Sabha, amending his earlier controversial version, ensured peace with the main Opposition which expressed happiness that he has "accepted his mistake" and rectified it.
Antony, who faced opposition fury, especially the BJP, for the last two days, asserted that nobody should doubt the government's resolve to uphold the sanctity of the LoC as also the capacity of armed forces and India's restraint should not be taken for granted.
He maintained that his statement on Tuesday about the involvement of "terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan Army uniform" in the killing of five soldiers on LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir was based on information available at that time.

Since then the Chief of Army Staff has visited the area and gone into the details of the matter, he said.