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Published 30 Sep, 2015 01:36pm

Indian BSF denies Pakistan's quasi-border claims

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

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