May 20, 2002	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, May 19: Pakistan has repulsed the use of heavy artillery by the Indians along the LoC and the working boundary during the past two days, director general ISPR, Major General Rashid Qureshi told Dawn late on Sunday.

The Indians have escalated the tensions by using heavy artillery and directly attacking Pakistan along the working boundary, resulting in civilian casualties, the president’s military spokesperson said.

He said Pakistan retaliated the fire on Indian military targets and, unlike the enemy’s act, did not target the civilians.

He said India was directly and indirectly sabotaging the global war on terrorism by engaging Pakistan on the eastern borders.

He said India deliberately chose to escalate the border tensions, knowing full well that Pakistan, in league with the US-led coalition forces, was fighting the war on terrorism.

He said the global powers must question India on its recent actions which amounted to distracting an important coalition partner in the global war against terrorism. The Indian actions, he said, amounted to supporting the terrorists indirectly.

Pakistan does not want war, the DG ISPR said, adding the Kashmir struggle was indigenous against the brutalities of the Indian forces. Blaming Pakistan for their own ills would not solve the Indians’ problems, he said.

Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi said Pakistan was fully prepared to thwart any Indian designs against the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan, adding the armed forces stood alert to defend each and every inch of the country.