India vows to respond to Pakistani firing

Visakhapatnam: The Indian Army will respond to ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said here Saturday.

The minister condemned the killing of civilians in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistani firing.

The defence minister said ceasefire violations by Pakistan were increasing but the Border Security Force (BSF) and the army guarding the Line of Control and the international border are effectively working and countering those acts.

"Our army is prepared to respond to each violation. The country has full faith that they (army) are effectively protecting both the territory and the national interest," Jaitley told the media here.

"The loss of civilian lives is considered condemnable even in war. During peace, it is even more condemnable."

Jaitely was talking to media persons after commissioning India's first indigenous stealth anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta into the Indian Navy.

He said the army and the defence ministry were collecting information on the latest violation of the 2003 ceasefire agreement.

"We will give our detailed reaction later," he said.

Two people were killed and seven others injured Saturday in heavy firing by Pakistan Rangers on BSF posts near the international border in R.S. Pura sector in Jammu district.