'Civilians collateral damage in Pakistan, India volatile ties'

Islamabad, Nov 2: The volatile relationship between Pakistan and India has innocent civilians as collateral damage, said a daily on Monday.

An editorial "LoC remains heated" in The Nation said that Pakistan High Commissioner, Abdul Basit has said it is time to formalize the 2003 India-Pakistan agreement to end firing at the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir region.

"...it is time to change things."

The daily said: "India has blatantly accused Pakistan on many occasions of breeding terrorism. (Prime Minister Narenra) Modi recently made thinly-veiled references to Pakistan, when he called on all nations to unite against states that harbour terrorist groups, claiming that those who support terrorism must be on one side and those who believe in humanity on the other. With such hatred, the question then is if such statements really are just futile at best?"

The daily added that this "volatile relationship between both neighbors has innocent civilians are collateral damage, something no one, including international 'humanitarian' organisations have taken notice of".

While the prime ministers of both sides "vaguely acknowledge that they should work out something to avoid this in future, India accuses Pakistan of supporting armed Kashmiri separatists and harbouring militants who carry out cross-border terror attacks".

"Pakistan denies the allegations, saying it only offers moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir. The Indian and Pakistani troops occupy the heights on either side of the Kashmir Valley, leaving the civilian population badly exposed," the daily noted.

"Pakistan is taking a firm stance regarding what needs to be done, and what they want."

IANS