KARACHI: A defence spokesman emphatically denied last night Indian allegations broadcast by All-India Radio that Pakistan had used tanks in fresh attacks against Indian forces in the disputed Rann of Kutch. The spokesman said that Pakistan had not used any tanks in any confrontation with India in the disputed territory. He termed these reports as “utterly baseless and mischievous”. India was making these wild allegations to cover her own aggressive move, he added. According to latest reports, India had not only been sending large reinforcements to the Pakistan border, she had inducted an additional Brigade in the area by bringing in 50 Independent Para Brigade all the way from Agra to the disputed territory, he added.

The spokesman also disclosed that recently an India Canberra bomber had violated Pakistan air space. Moreover, Indian forces had been moving forward towards Pakistan not only in the Rann of Kutch but also at other points. While Pakistan was offering cease-fire and peaceful negotiations, India was holding a big armoured exercise near the Pakistan-East Punjab border which amounted to a pretext to concentrate more troops and armour in order to force Pakistan to accept Indian terms. Indian Officers and soldiers, belonging to the 50 Para Brigade, captured in recent patrol clashes, had confirmed India’s huge military buildup and her warlike intentions.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2015

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