India warns Pakistan over Kashmir strikes

NEW DELHI, Oct 9 (Agencies): India told Pakistan Thursday to stop its shelling in disputed Kashmir, warning it will make such attacks "unaffordable", as the death toll from this week's cross-border violence-the worst in years-rose to 17.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley accused Pakistan of instigating the tit-for-tat shelling that began on Sunday and has forced tens of thousands of civilians living on both sides of the border to flee their homes.
"If Pakistan persists with this adventurism, our forces will make cost of this adventurism unaffordable for it," Jaitley told journalists in New Delhi.
"Pakistan should stop this unprovoked firing and shelling if it wants peace on the border."
The Pakistani army on Thursday confirmed five more civilians had died on its side of the disputed northern Kashmir region and eastern Punjab province, doubling the toll to 10.
Seven civilians have died in India. Regional police chief Rajesh Kumar told AFP Thursday that firing from both sides had continued into the early hours of the morning.
"Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes," he added. The nuclear-armed neighbours have traded blame for the cross-border strikes, which began during Eid ul-Adha celebrations in the predominantly Muslim region.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said his country was "fully capable of responding befittingly to Indian aggression" but urged India to exercise caution.
"We do not want the situation on the borders of two nuclear neighbours to escalate into confrontation," he added.
The latest crisis is being closely watched for signs that India's new right-wing nationalist government will take a more hardline approach to Pakistan.
India, which has an estimated 500,000 troops deployed in its part of the disputed region, called off peace talks last month after Pakistan consulted with Indian Kashmiri separatists.
New Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a visit to New York last month that Pakistan needed to show more "seriousness" to resume dialogue between the historic adversaries.
On Thursday Jaitley justified the Indian firing by saying his country had a "duty to defend its people", as he accused Pakistan of trying to "precipitate tension where none exists".
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan but both lay claim to the scenic Himalayan region.
Fighting between Indian forces and rebels seeking independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan has killed tens of thousands-mostly civilians-since 1989.
The two countries have gone to war over the territory twice, in 1947 and 1965, and fought a smaller scaler conflict in 1999.
Violence has fallen in the region since 2004, when the countries began a peace process a year after signing a ceasefire agreement.
Pakistan Rangers continued to fire across the international border with India through the night and well into Wednesday, killing at least two more people and injuring two dozen. India was quick to retaliate, but the casualties on the Pakistani side were not immediately known.
More than 20,000 residents of 30 villages along the international border in Jammu region have been shifted to safer locations, Indian officials said.
India's top military official said they were keen to resolve the ceasefire violations as Pakistan again raised the Kashmir issue at the UN.
The latest string of Pakistan ceasefire violations on the 700 km-LoC and the international border started Oct 3.
The number of people killed in Pakistan shelling on civilian areas in Jammu region has now gone up to seven, while the number of injured has shot up to 55.
Panic gripped the border villages here as shells landed with fierce intensity on homes, shattering windows and leaving the walls with gaping holes and pock-marked.
The bloodied and wounded were carried to hospital, while the locals scurried to safety and spent a sleepless night. Pakistani troopers fired through the night and did not stop as the day broke Wednesday.
A senior police officer said: "Two people have died and five are injured in Pakistan mortar shelling in Chilyari village in Samba district today. The injured have been shifted to government medical college (GMC) hospital in Jammu city for treatment."
"BSF is also retaliating effectively to silence Pakistan guns in the area," the officer said.
As many as 20 people, including 15 civilians, were injured in overnight Pakistani firing at the border.
"Four army soldiers were injured in Pakistan firing on the LoC in Poonch district, one BSF trooper and 15 civilians were injured in firing by Pakistan Rangers on the international border in Jammu district during the night.
"Pakistan has again started firing at BSF positions and civilian areas in Hira Nagar sector of the border in Kathua district Wednesday morning," a senior police officer told IANS in Jammu.