India Pakistan Relation Heats up

The Pakistani military said two of its officers had been killed in “unprovoked” firing this week by Indian troops across the border in the disputed Kashmir region.

An India insists it was only responding to Pakistani fire.

At a bus stand in New Delhi dozens of activists from a Hindu Nationalist group surround a bus ready to leave for the Pakistani city of Lahore. 

They are shouting slogans against Pakistan and are demanding immediate closure of the bus service connecting the two neighbors.

Vicky Chaudhary heads the group called Hindu Sena.

"Pakistan is killing our soldiers, they are attacking us and we run services like this. Enough of it now! No buses or train to Pakistan. We won’t allow it anymore.”

The protesters are reacting to the killing of five Indian soldiers in the disputed area of Kashmir earlier this month.

India blames Pakistan army for the killings says India’s Defence Minister AK Antony.

“It is now clear that the specialist troops of Pakistan army were involved in this attack when a group from the Pakistan occupied Kashmir Crossed the Line of Control and killed our brave soldiers. We all know that nothing happens from the Pakistan side of the Line of Control without the support, assistance, facilitation and often direct involvement of the Pakistan army.”

But Pakistan has rejected the allegation.

Salmaqn Bashir is Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India.

“The Government of Pakistan has very clearly said that Pakistan army or any unit of the Pakistan army was not involved. Pakistan government cannot be held responsible nor can the Pakistan armed forces be made to account for what has happened.”

A few days later, Pakistan accused the Indian army of violating a cease fire agreement in Kashmir and killing 2 Pakistani soldier and a civilian.

Pakistan then adopted a resolution condemning what it described as aggression from the Indian side.... responded by India with a counter resolution.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief in New York next month.

But as the political temperatures rises, pressure is mounting on the Indian government to say no to bilateral talks.

Vekaiyah Naidu is a senior leader of India’s main opposition Party BJP.

“What is the government doing in the face of these threats?  How can they even think of talking to Pakistan? There can’t be any negotiation with Pakistan until they don’t stop encouraging terrorism against India. It makes no sense.”

Peace makers like senior lawmaker from India’s ruling Congress Party Manishankar Aiyer are isolated voices.
 
He insists that negotiations and peace are the only way out for the nuclear armed neighbors.

“In any case if you don’t talk to Pakistan you can solve nothing. I believe that it is only when we are face to face that we can really tell them what we think about their accesses. That is the only alternative to war. It must be uninterrupted and it must be uninterruptible.”