New Delhi/Islamabad, Aug 21

In continuing tensions, Pakistan Wednesday summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner in Islamabad Gopal Baglay to lodge a "strong protest" over the killing of a Pakistani army captain in Indian firing on the Line of Control (LoC), with India saying it had carried out "appropriate retaliation" to Pakistani shelling.

Baglay was summoned to the foreign office and a "strong protest was lodged over the unprovoked firing by Indian army soldiers last night in the Shaqma sector, Kargil, which resulted in the martyrdom of a Pakistan Army captain and injury to another soldier", said a Pakistan foreign office statement.

"Pakistan conveyed its serious concern on the continued violations of the ceasefire across the LoC by the Indian Army over the past few weeks and the escalation of tensions which is counterproductive and detrimental for stability and peace in the region," it said.

It said that Pakistan is "committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement and it calls upon India to take serious and credible measures to prevent further ceasefire violations and reduce tensions".

India responded by saying that Pakistan had "resorted to unprovoked firing" from 9 p.m. Aug 20 till 4 a.m. Aug 21 from the Pakistani post in Marol Sector to the Indian post in Kargil sector involving small arms, automatic fire and mortar fire.

"Appropriate retaliation was carried out by the Indian Army," it said.

India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that for dialogue between India and Pakistan "there needs to be conducive atmosphere" and the current environment "where terrorism is perpetrated against India is not the right type of environment for this".

He said for dates for the proposed talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York in September have been indicated.

"We will look and examine every situation as it evolves," Akbaruddin said, and added that India expects Pakistan to abide by its publicly stated commitment not to allow its territory or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India.

By:IANS

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