India asks Pak to probe rocket firing incident, warns against a repeat

India on Monday told Pakistan to probe the incident of firing of rockets on its soil from across the border as such incidents posed a threat to civilian lives and properties.

The Indian view was conveyed by a Border Security Force delegation at another flag meeting at the joint check-post at Attari, though Pakistan has been adamant in denying the firing.

The flag meeting between the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers was the second in last three days to probe the cross-border attack.

The Indian side at the meeting was led by Deputy Inspector General of Police Mohammed Aqueel and the Pakistani side by Brigadier Kamran Waheed.

Briefing newsmen on the meeting, BSF Inspector General of Police Himmat Singh said the Indian side had told the Pakistanis to get the matter probed by an investigating agency, showing evidence of splinters of the five rockets fired from across the border. The BSF also handed over to its counterpart visual evidence of the incident in the form of photographs published in the Indian media.

Though the Pakistanis maintained that its forces had not fired the rockets, they offered to bring to light those behind it, Singh said.

Pakistan had fired five rockets on the Indian territory that landed on agriculture fields at around 10 pm on Friday at villages Modhey, Dhoneya Khurd, Rattan Kallan and Dalekey in Amritsar district. The BSF had retaliated by firing from machine guns.

No one was hurt in Friday's incident.

The incident happened on the day when the BSF deployed its first batch of women constables on the same border.

PTI reports from Lahore said the Pakistani side had registered a protest over what Rangers' spokesman Nadeem Raza described as indiscriminate firing from the Indian side.

"We informed the Pakistanis of earlier attacks on July 4 this year, when three rockets were fired from Pakistani side which fell on the Indian side," said Singh, but added that the Pakistanis were adamant in denying this and had not carried out any investigation.

Sing said, "We told Pakistanis that India would strongly retaliate if such incidents occur again, and will not tolerate attacks that endanger the safety of civilians and public property on the Indian side."

The BSF IGP said Islamabad was told that a strict precaution should be taken to ensure that the joint check-post at Attari was not targeted, as it was a transit point for travellers. Singh said the Pakistan Rangers agreed with the Indian proposal and assured to enhance security on JPC Attari/Wagah border.