India continues Kashmir crackdown

Indian soldiers will be "ruthless", Delhi says

India will continue to take strong action against militant infiltrators in Indian-administered Kashmir, but has ruled out crossing the line of control with Pakistan at present.

Home Minister LK Advani said that the government's pro-active policy would continue even amid an upsurge of violence between the security forces and militants.

America... must ensure that those who are part of the war against terrorism are themselves not guilty of providing a safe haven to terrorists

Home Minister LK Advani

At least 30 people have been killed in clashes on in the past two days, and a Kashmir minister survived an assassination attempt.

Indian and Pakistani forces also exchanged heavy fire across their border on Wednesday night.

Pakistan

Mr Advani told a news conference that it was "disingenuous" for Pakistan to be a member of the campaign against terrorism because Islamabad itself promoted terrorism.

"America and other nations in the international coalition must ensure that those who are part of the war against terrorism are themselves not guilty of providing a safe haven to terrorists, to hijackers and to organisers of terrorist camps," he said.

India has argued that Pakistan backs separatist militants in Kashmir by arming and sending them across the line of control, a charge Islamabad denies.

Mr Advani said that there was enough intelligence and analytical evidence to show that the Taleban regime in Afghanistan was created by Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) organisation.

"And the very same ISI has also been the planner, instigator and supporter of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India," he added.

There has been a sharp increase in tension between the two sides, despite attempts by US Secretary of State Colin Powell to defuse tensions over Kashmir.

On Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said there were no plans to hold talks with Pakistan on Kashmir at the moment.

Violence

A spokesman for India's Border Security Force said on Thursday that Pakistan troops fired on Indian soldiers near the Akhnoor sector of the border, some 35 km (20 miles) from Jammu.

He said there were no Indian casualties.

That account has been flatly contradicted by Pakistan.

"There was no firing from our side," Brigadier Saulat Raza told Reuters news agency.

On Monday, India launched attacks across the Line of Control, the ceasefire line which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan - the first serious incidents for several months.

Correspondents say the attacks were clearly timed to coincide with the visit to the region of Colin Powell.

On Wednesday, Pakistan said it was putting its armed forces on high alert because India was relocating troops and aircraft.

That claim was rubbished by the Indian Foreign Ministry as a "complete fabrication".