NEW DELHI (Islamweb & News Agencies) - India accused Pakistan on Thursday of carrying out provocative troop movements near the border in the bitterly disputed Kashmir region as tension between the nuclear foes mounted. (Read photo caption below)
A senior Indian official said the Pakistani army had moved some offensive formations closer to the border, including along a sensitive stretch of the frontier dividing the Himalayan territory claimed by both countries.
``It is not dangerous but it is provocative,'' said the official who did not wish to be identified. In response, India had bolstered its defenses along the frontier, he said.
But Pakistan quickly dismissed the report as an attempt by New Delhi to blame Islamabad for raising tension across the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. ''This now seems to be a belated effort on their part... to put the blame on Pakistan to escalate the friction and tension,'' said Pakistani spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi.
Tension has escalated along the India-Pakistan border in revolt-plagued Kashmir since U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan began last month.
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf engaged in tough rhetoric this week, each vowing to repulse any military action by the other.
PHOTO CAPTION:
An unidentified relative sits besides Mohammed Yaqoob in a hospital in Srinagar, November 1, 2001 who was injured when Pakistani troops opened fire across a military control line dividing the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of provocative troop movements near the border in the bitterly disputed region as tension between the nuclear foes mounted. (Fayaz Kabli/Reuters