Pak denies airspace violation, questions Russia-India deals

Pak denies airspace violation, questions Russia-India deals
AGENCIES

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 20: Brushing aside India's charge that two of its aircraft had intruded into Indian airspace yesterday, Pakistan today protested against Russia supplying fighter aircraft, battle tanks and nuclear fuel to India.

Pakistan's foreign office spokesman Riaz Khan told reporters ``an official verification of the radar station had revealed that the two trainer Mashaq aircraft, which flew in that area, remained very much within Pakistan territory. We reject these allegations as baseless.''

About reports that one of its aircraft was hit by Indian fire, he said ``no, there was nothing.''

India has categorically rejected this claim and said New Delhi is in the process of lodging a strong protest with Islamabad. ``Pakistan's claim is totally baseless as its two aircraft strayed across the Line of Control,'' a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said. Defence Minister George Fernandes said outside Parliament he would make a statement in the House this week in this regard.

Pakistan, meanwhile, expressed concern over reports of shipment of nuclear fuel from Russia to India for its Tarapur nuclear reactors, saying it would help enhance New Delhi's nuclear capability. ``The shipment also highlights the discriminatory practices being adopted by the individual nuclear-member states,'' spokesman Khan said.

``While India is allowed to import nuclear fuel, in contrast strict restrictions are being applied to Pakistan even for importing equipment required for the safety of its nuclear installations,'' Khan said.

The spokesman said Pakistan was also concerned over reports that Russia has agreed to supply a large number of Sukhoi fighter aircraft and T-90 battle tanks to India.

``Such a massive shipment of weapons would widen the conventional balance in the region and would not help in restoring peace in South Asia,'' he said.

Replying to a question on the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, he said it ``carried little credibility in the light of the Indian Army's admission that its troops fired on peaceful demonstrators in Kashmir.''

``India's sincerity in settling for talks on the Kashmir issue would be fully tested by whether or not it allowed the Hurriyat delegation to visit Pakistan for talks,'' he said.