Pak target shifts from Kargil to Uri, Kupwara

Pakistani troops on Wednesday resorted to unprovoked heavy shelling on Indian positions in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri and Kupwara sectors, injuring at least one soldier and a girl.

A defence ministry spokesman said the troops opened mortar and artillery fire along the Line of Control at 0900 hours. Indian forces retaliated, and the exchange of fire was still continuing when last reports came in.

The soldier was hurt in Kupwara when a splinter hit him, while the civilian girl suffered injuries in Tangdar.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Tuesday's shelling on Kargil town touched 17 with the recovery of two more bodies from the debris. The dead -- most of whom were shopowners -- included a woman.

Latest reports say that 30 people have been injured, of whom 14 have been airlifted to the SMHS hospital, Srinagar.

"Though the shelling stopped by 1900 hours on Tuesday, intermittent small arm fire is still continuing in Kargil," an army officer said.

The structures which were hit included a mosque, a hospital, two hotels, several shops and a few private residences. Kargil's Iqbal hydel project suffered minor damages. The locals who had moved to safer places are now returning, the officer added.

Radio Pakistan, meanwhile, has claimed that seven Pakistanis were killed and several injured in India's retaliatory firing.

Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, Chief Secretary Ashok Jaitly and Director General of Police Gurbachan Jagat visited Kargil in the morning.

"Though Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief wants to have cordial relations with India," said Dr Abdullah, addressing Kargil residents, "his army generals, obsessed by self interest, do not want relations to improve."

The chief minister announced a Rs 100,000 relief to the next of kin of those killed in the incident, and promised that one family member would be given a government job.

Responding to an allegation that administrative officials ran away from the town following the shelling, Dr Abdullah said he would take strict action against them.

In New Delhi, Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral had an emergency meeting with army chief General V P Malik who took charge on Wednesday. General Malik appraised the PM about the measures being taken to counter the Pakistani offensive. Details of the relief and rescue operations were also provided.

At the diplomatic level, Foreign Secretary K Raghunath summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Aslam Jehangir Qazi to register India's strong protest over the incident.

He renewed India's suggestion to introduce a hotline between sectoral commanders along the LoC. As of now, the hotline arrangement exists only between the director generals of military operations of the two countries.

Both, as is usual on every Tuesday, had had a telephone conference hours before the incident, sources revealed.

They said one reason for targeting Kargil could be the Shia population there (which is known to oppose militants). Another could be that winter was setting in, and Pakistan was desperate to infiltrate militants before the mountain passes are closed.

UNI