Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

'Cross-border firing can risk peace in the region'

January 11, 2013 19:48 IST

Amid growing tension between the two neighboring countries, Pakistan asked India to ensure that there would be no recurrence of cross border firing in the future otherwise such incidents could risk peace of the entire region.

During a press briefing Pakistan Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani said that Islamabad was disappointed over the cross border firing incident from Indian side.

"We are disappointed over this continuing pattern of violation of line of control by the Indian troops; These incidents are certainly very very unfortunate events; because we have over the last many months invested very heavily in building of peace and stability not only between India and Pakistan but also in the region. And a number of steps had been taken by Pakistan to improve our relations and certainly these unfortunate incidents have not only vitiated the atmosphere but have also cast a shadow over the peace process."

He said that Pakistan has deep interest in promoting peace and stability in the region and wants to have friendly and cooperative good neighborly relations with all neighbors including India.

The foreign secretary said, "We would expect the Indian government to ensure that the line of control not be violated. We would expect the Indian government to ensure that there is no recurrence of such incidents because this is not neither in their favour nor in Pakistan's interest."

Talking about his earlier meeting with Indian high commissioner to Islamabad he said, "I had meeting with Indian high commissioner and convoyed our concern over the continued violations."

When he was asked about solution of the situation he said that in this kind of situation, the factual position can only be ascertained if there will be no recurrence of such incidents in the future; and the other side also realises the consequences of such steps.

"Our hope is that such unfortunate incidents are not driven by particular strategy and our only hope is that these are contained in days to come; some mechanism would be establish to ensure their non recurrence," he added.

Responding to a question about the involvement of the United Nations, he said, "Yes, contact has been established with the UN about these violations because this is the only neutrally mechanism that is available to us and we have reason to believe that in this kind of situation an independent neutral and impartial inquiry is conducted the truth will come out. And the only forum we can think about which has also the same mandate is the UN.

Tahir Ali in Islamabad