Pakistan PM imperative to restore ceasefire on India border

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday it was imperative for both India and his nation to restore a ceasefire on the disputed Kashmir border following this week's flare-up in tension between the nuclear-armed neighbors.    

Sharif said he looked forward to meeting his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to a statement issued after Sharif met Pakistani foreign ministry officials.    

"During the meeting, we will discuss steps to further build trust and consolidate this relationship," Nawaz was quoted as saying in the ministry statement.              

Earlier in the day, Pakistan's military accused Indian forces of wounding a Pakistani civilian after opening fire along the disputed Kashmir border, a security source said.                                      

For its part, India for the first time directly accused the Pakistan army of involvement in an ambush in which five Indian soldiers were killed, and said the incident would hurt warming relations with its neighbor and hinted at possible military retaliation.                                    

"Our restraint should not be taken for granted, nor should the capacity of our armed forces and resolve of the government to uphold the sanctity of the Line of Control ever be doubted," Defense Minister A.K. Antony told parliament , referring to the de facto border dividing the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir.                  

"It is now clear that specialist troops of Pakistan army were involved in this attack," he said.               

However, Pakistan has denied any involvement in Tuesday's attack, possibly the worst such incident since the two nuclear-armed rivals signed a ceasefire in 2003.


REUTERS