New Delhi, August 24
India’s Acting High Commissioner in Islamabad was summoned to the Foreign Office today and a strong protest was lodged over what it called “the unprovoked attack by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force on Pakistan army’s positions across the Line of Control in the Gultari sector” during the night of August 22-23.

According to a press note issued by the Pakistan High Commission here late tonight, Pakistan condemned the alleged Indian attack which included “the unprecedented use” of the IAF.

“The Government of India’s attention was drawn to the dangers inherent in such acts of belligerence and it was advised to desist from such provocations in the future,” the note said.

A similar protest was lodged with the Indian authorities by the Pakistan High Commission here.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister George Fernandes today chaired a lengthy meeting of top Army commanders of the area at Leh, while the Army Chief, Gen S. Padmanabhan, toured some of the forward most areas in Kupwara, Uri, Gurez and Machil sector in the Kashmir valley.

Mr Fernandes flew to the headquarters of the Ladakh district this morning to attend a briefing of the Leh-based 14 Army Corps, which looks after the Line of Control stretching from Matayan to Point NJ 9842, Siachen Glacier and Sino-Indian border in the region.

He also visited some forward areas in Kargil district, which have been a scene of artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani troops and had an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the region. The minister is scheduled to fly to Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur and visit some militancy-affected areas of the adjoining Doda district.