BSF provides proof of rocket firing; Rangers deny involvement

India today told Pakistan to probe the incident of firing of rockets on its soil from across the border as such happenings posed a threat to civilian lives and properties.

The Indian view was conveyed by a BSF delegation at another flag meeting at the joint check post at Attari, amidst Pakistan's continued denial of firing of rockets. The flag meeting between the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers was the second in last three days, to probe the cross border attack.

Briefing newsmen on the meeting, BSF IGP Himmat Singh said the Indian side had told the Pakistanis to get the matter probed by some investigating agency. The BSF team at the meeting also showed the Pakistan Rangers evidence of splinters of five rockets fired from across the international border.

Though the Pakistanis maintained that its forces had not fired the rockets, they offered to bring to light those behind it. PTI reports from Lahore said that the Pakistani side had registered a protest over what Rangers' spokesman Nadeem Raza described as indiscriminate firing from the Indian side.

No one was hurt in Friday's incident, which reflected the fragile ties between the two countries in the wake of last year's Mumbai attacks. The BSF also handed over to its counterparts visual evidence of the incident in the form of photographs published in Indian media.

The Indian side at the meeting was led by DIG Mohammed Aqueel and the Pakistani side by Brigadier Kamran Waheed. Pakistan had fired five rockets on the Indian territory which hit agriculture fields around 10 pm at villages Modhey, Dhoneya Khurd, Rattan Kallan and Dalekey in Amritsar district.

The BSF had retaliated by firing from machine guns. The incident happened the day when the BSF deployed its first batch of women constables on the same border.
   
Giving details of the flag meeting, the BSF IGP said,"We informed Pakistanis of earlier such attacks on July 4, this year when three rockets were fired from Pakistan side which fell on the Indian side."

But, he said, even then the Pakistanis remained adamant denying that rockets were fired from their soil and had not carried out any investigation. Singh said, "We told Pakistanis that in future if such incidents occur, India would strongly retaliate and no more tolerate such kind of attacks, which endanger the safety of civilians and public property on Indian side."

The BSF IGP said Islamabad was told that strict precaution should be taken to ensure that in such firings, the joint check post at Attari was not targeted as it was a transit point for travellers.

Singh said that Pakistan Rangers agreed with the Indian proposal and assured to enhance security on JPC Attari/Wagah border forthwith. 

To Pakistan Rangers' complaint that Karewala Singh Post in their soil was attacked by BSF, the Indian side said that it was a reaction in self defence against the area from where the rockets were fired.

The BSF IG, however, did not rule out the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba in the incident. Meanwhile, the remains of rocket shells were handed over to local police for forensic tests, Singh said in Jalandhar later.