'Ceasefire violation at LoC taken up at the highest level with Pakistan'

New Delhi, Aug 1 : In the wake of the repeated ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) by the Pakistan Army, India has expressed its deep concern, and said that the matter has been taken up with Pakistan at the highest level.

"We have already expressed our concern and the issue of ceasefire violation has been taken up with Pakistan at the highest level," Defence Minister A K Antony told reporters here on Friday.

Antony accepted that the security scenario is changing and emphasized that India wants to maintain good relations with its neighbours.

"We get setbacks in improving relations but we will keep on making attempts to harmonise the relationship with our neighbours," he added.

On Wednesday, six 82 mm mortar shells were fired at the BSF positions in two bursts in a span of one hour from 11:30 a.m. at the Indian post in Naria in Nowgam sector, violating the ceasefire along the LoC.

Earlier, India had reacted strongly on Tuesday to ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops several times along the LoC, and asked Islamabad not to vitiate the atmosphere and disturb the peace process between the two countries.

"A total of 19 incidents have occurred since January 2008 and a large number of incidents have occurred in the months of June and July. These are unusual months when maximum attempts of infiltration are made by terrorists," Antony said.

Antony said that the Government is fully prepared to deal with any such infiltrations firmly, and maintained that adequate restraint would be taken to prevent escalation of tension.

He further said that keeping in view the increased attempts of infiltration; the counter infiltration grid has been suitably strengthened by the Army to check such incidents.

On Monday, Pakistani soldiers in the Kiyan Bowl area of the Nowgam sector of Kupwara district in northwest Kashmir crossed 300 metres inside Indian territory around 3.30 p.m. and fired at an observation post, killing one Indian soldier.

The repeated firings violated the November 26, 2003 ceasefire accord, according to which the Indian and Pakistani armies mutually agreed to end the exchange of fire along the LoC, which had become a regular feature since the Kargil hostilities ended. By Praful Kumar Singh

ANI