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JAMMU: Indian Border Security Forces on Tuesday rejected Pakistani claims that India is attempting to construct a quasi-border along the Line of Control (LoC).
"This is a story created by Pakistan. There is no wall being constructed," BSF Inspector General Rakesh Sharma was quoted in a Press Trust of India report published by the FirstPost website.
"It is a confusion that is being created by the Pakistani side as there is no such wall being constructed on the Indian border in Jammu and Kashmir," Sharma said.
Read: India converting LoC into quasi border, UN told
"How can it be constructed ... You know the topographic conditions of the border? It is just not possible to construct a wall," he added.
Reports surfaced last week that Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, sent two letters to the United Nations Security Council on Sept 4 and 9, sharing Islamabad’s concern over the construction of this wall.
In the Sept 9 letter to president of the Security Council, Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin, Ambassador Lodhi expressed “deep concern” at the development and said that India planned to construct a 10-metre-high and 135-feet-wide embankment (wall) along the 197km LoC.
When asked why Pakistani would be fabricating this story Sharma said, "I am also surprised about the wall theory ─ there is nothing on the ground and it seems to be a story only."
He said the existing fence was undergoing fortification due to regular wear and tear.
"The repair and upgradation of the border fence is an ongoing process. At several places the fence gets washed away when there is a flood so we have to repair it," he said.
The IG BSF said that following the Director-General-level talks between India and Pakistan, the situation along the border appeared to be peaceful "as of now".
"Let us see how things move ahead," he said.
Also read: Pakistan Rangers, Indian BSF agree to halt ceasefire violations
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (42) Closed
Sep 30, 2015 01:53pm
False rumors will create more trouble in already fragile peace on the borders and in the relations between two countries.
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Sep 30, 2015 01:53pm
What would the world expect them to say?
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Sep 30, 2015 01:56pm
Thank you Lodhi for giving excellent idea of constructing boundary wall all along Loc and we Indians are capable of doing the same.
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Sep 30, 2015 01:56pm
135 ft wide wall ?? That too along LoC? First go and see the terrain before fabricating such funny conspiracy theories.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:01pm
Walls will not bring the peace, both the leaders should think alternative, being Indian I want to visit Pakistan and visit most of the cities just like we enter into Nepal.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:02pm
I am surprised about the dimensions of the wall. 10 meter (320 feet) high, 135 feet wide?? Come on, Pakistan.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:09pm
Even if the wall is completed and Pakistan is separated from India with a physical barrier, and even if the wall is effective as a deterrent, that still means that approximately 80% of India's land borders that is not walled off is still vulnerable to incursion. This does not take into account the 7,500 km of coastline that can be breached by small vessels that are difficult to detect using radar. Any wall can be circumvented; if you need evidence of this, please feel free to read all about the Maginot Line in Wikipedia.
To conclude, it probably isn't worth it.
The construction of a wall along the Indo-Pak border will probably be more trouble than it's worth. I also doubt that it will provide much security against further terrorist activity and will likely be an additional burden on the Indian defence budget rather than a saving.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:10pm
@Vikas - But then he goes on to say its "the repair and upgradation of the border fence". You can draw your own inferences.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:21pm
India is getting used to such tall claims. Empty vessels sound much
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Sep 30, 2015 02:26pm
This shows the lack of co-ordination & communication between the defence & political class, topographically its not possible to build a wall there, the best people to answer would be Pakistan's own border security forces posted in that region.
By showing such lack of knowledge the Pakistani contingent is doing no good for itself on a global stage.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:30pm
@NORI ---- 10 m is 32 ft. not 320 ft.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:34pm
No comment.....
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Sep 30, 2015 02:37pm
@Ayaz nothing else my friend @Nori has copied the 135 feet measurement from @Vikas
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Sep 30, 2015 02:43pm
A 10-metre-high and 135-feet-wide embankment (wall) along the 197km LoC.
How funny..?
Is it ever possible? And if yes, then India would have built it decades before, why now?
A satellite image can show precisely whether there is any such construction going on or not. Pakistan should search with its ultra modern technology and present proofs.
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Sep 30, 2015 02:47pm
These are deliberate humors and rumors through official channels to bring smiles on serious faces. People laughing and no one takes it seriously.
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Sep 30, 2015 03:11pm
lol indian comments here make me laugh in a similar article where india turning loc into quasi border all Indians were very happy one said that modi has tweeted about it now there military has denied it and all of sudden they are against it and accusing lack of communication btw Pak gov and Pak army..perhaps you Indians need to bring your house in order
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Sep 30, 2015 03:18pm
@zash I think the world is pretty clear about who needs to bring it's house in order.
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Sep 30, 2015 03:18pm
Thanks for great Idea!! I think it would provide a long term peace for citizen on both side until politician figure out any better way.
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Sep 30, 2015 03:31pm
Indians are happy with LOC becoming international borders as they have occupied a Muslim state. It is Pakistan who has most to lose as Kashmir naturally falls into Pakistan geographically, religiously and culturally - also, Pakistan occupies no Hindu state to which India has a claim over.
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Sep 30, 2015 03:41pm
135 ft wide wall my god what type of wall is this .....but india must complete wall along with banjab as well as jammu and kashmir border.
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Sep 30, 2015 03:49pm
When Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, why on earth India is going to build a wall ?
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Sep 30, 2015 03:54pm
At UN platform how can respectable authority like Pak convoy claim or make such big statement with out checking facts behind it...this kind of statements creates big trust deficit between countries...pls refrain from it if you want to improved relationships!!!! Peace love human being....
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Sep 30, 2015 04:19pm
If the wall construction is/was true, take the pictures and come out in the open to show the world (India is not building an invisible one, it's all in your brains). Rumors will only funnel more distrust.
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Sep 30, 2015 04:20pm
It is good that Indians have clarified this. It means india would not mind if Pakistan blows up such a wall, AS IT NEVER EXISTED anyway!
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Sep 30, 2015 04:20pm
@NORI Kindly get your calculator fixed. Since when 10 meters are 320 feet?
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Sep 30, 2015 04:38pm
when whole kashmir belongs to india...why would india would construct the wall?
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Sep 30, 2015 04:39pm
I would advocate such a thought. India and pak need a time out. They keep going at it endlessly.
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Sep 30, 2015 04:40pm
Why India doesn't not accept monitoring of the border by the UN Observers in spite of repeated proposals of Pakistan ?
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Sep 30, 2015 04:54pm
@Harmony-1 ...what is wrong in maintenance of the existing fence ? Fence is not a wall...why do you look at everything as suspicion ? If the wall is really coming up we will all know soon.
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Sep 30, 2015 05:02pm
@Sunil Varma - I am not getting into whether it's "wrong" or right but reading between the lines "upgradation" can mean many things. That was the point! And that doesn't discredit Maleeha Lodhi either.
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Sep 30, 2015 05:18pm
@Saheb Nagori
Precisely. Its our state and we can do everything we want.
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Sep 30, 2015 05:26pm
@Harmony-1 In order to build a concrete wall one needs to do some thing called as excavation that goes to at times a couple of feet or even more than a meter deep depending on soil condition, & as per the size mentioned by her the excavation it self will take heavy machinery & time of few several months, to build such a wall is next to impossible,
just admit it that she messed it up!!
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Sep 30, 2015 05:33pm
Somebody should calculate the masonary required to build 332' X 135' X 197 KM wall. and compare with the biggest dam of India / Pakistan. How many we can build with that kind of resources.
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Sep 30, 2015 05:33pm
@Harmony-1
For once, just question Pakistan's theory. Why don't they show any proof if there is any wall being built?? and don't forget to google difference between fence and wall.
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Sep 30, 2015 05:42pm
Its gud for Indian to not making such a wall, Otherwise they should face Pak's power 1st.
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Sep 30, 2015 05:54pm
Building a wall is reinforcing the two nation theory and hence India will not build a wall.
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Sep 30, 2015 06:19pm
A wall may not be a bad idea. At least no innocent civilians will die in cross border shelling. Both countries should contribute to the wall building.
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Sep 30, 2015 06:19pm
Every picture i see of LOC, why Indian troops are so close to LOC? Why are not they maintaining a reasonable distance?
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Sep 30, 2015 06:22pm
@Pure Ind - So you claim to know there is no "excavation or heavy machinery" being used?
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Sep 30, 2015 06:32pm
Ok, then bring in the UN to monitor and verify. Oh right, India will not allow a UN Observer group because they are lying and they want to hide the evidence.
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Sep 30, 2015 07:45pm
@NORI you really need to learn some simple MATHS
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Sep 30, 2015 07:51pm
@Harmony-1 civil excavation equipments used for large sites are not only ddifficult to hide visually but they also make ttremendous noise. Had india actually initiated such work then the pakistani UN Delegates would have submitted the report with photos as well. They will surely not miss out on such a common point.
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