New Delhi, October 13
The Army said today that although its personnel had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector in response to a request for help from Pakistani soldiers, but did not help in reconstruction of any bunkers damaged in the earthquake there.
Clarifying on reports, an Army spokesman said here, “Indian soldiers did not reconstruct any Pakistani army bunkers,” adding that the soldiers had gone across unarmed to give Pakistani soldiers picks and shovels to clear debris of some pillars of Aman Setu on the Pakistani side.
“Our soldiers responded to shouts of help from across the LoC,” the spokesman said, adding that “in no case scenario can Indian soldiers help in rebuilding enemy bunkers.”
The Pakistan’s Defence Ministry spokesman, Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan, in Islamabad had termed as “baseless” and “untrue” reports that Indian troops crossed the LoC to help its soldiers reconstruct bunkers.
Gen Shaukat Sultan said, “There is no question of the Indian Army crossing the LoC to help rebuild bunkers. All our bunkers are safe and can withstand artillery shells.”
Earlier in Srinagar, the General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps, Lt-Gen S.S. Dhillon, told reporters that Indian soldiers had helped their Pakistani counterparts on the spur of the moment and on humanitarian grounds. “Soldiers of two armies got together on humanitarian grounds in the hour of crisis,” he said.
