Hindu, 24 July 2008

NEW DELHI: Pakistan-based jihadists launched fresh assaults on Indian forward positions along the Line of Control over the weekend, leading to skirmishes which have claimed the life of at least one soldier. BSF head constable Bhanwar Lal was killed at Mukhiari Post in the Rajouri sector on Tuesday morning, after the position was attacked by jihadists armed with rocket launchers, under- barrel grenade-launchers and automatic rifles ...

Hindu, 24 July 2008

New Delhi: In a four-page letter addressed to Board members of the IAEA, Pakistan has attacked the draft Indian safeguards agreement for envisaging termination conditions and fuel supply arrangements which could allow India to 'divert part of [any imported] fuel for weapons purposes.' At the same time, it said that the Indian model should not be 'discriminatory' and should be applied to states such as itself. Pakistan is a member of the 35-strong Board of Governors. The letter, written by its Ambassador to the IAEA, Shahbaz, was sent out on July 18, though the Indian mission in Vienna has yet to formally receive a copy. A similar letter was circulated by Pakistan's Ambassador to the U.N., Munir Akram, on July 15. The BoG will meet August 1 to consider the Indian agreement ...

Hindu, 23 July 2008

Even though the process of d??tente between India and Pakistan has come under strain, the fifth round of the composite dialogue got under way with the Foreign Secretary-level talks on July 21. The possibility of a slide back to the days of acrimony arose after New Delhi accused elements in the neighbouring country of involvement in the July 7 bomb attack on Indian embassy in Kabul. In refuting the allegation, Islamabad has cautioned that instead of playing the blame game, there should be recourse to the joint mechanism set up to deal with the issue of terrorism. There is merit in its argument that the mechanism should be improved and not abandoned if it is found to be not working as desired ...