Sharif seeks truce as India ups ante

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Thursday it was imperative for both India and his nation to restore a cease-fire on the disputed Kashmir border following this week’s flare-up in tension between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Sharif said he looked forward to meeting his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to a statement issued after Sharif met Pakistani Foreign Ministry officials.
“During the meeting, we will discuss steps to further build trust and consolidate this relationship,” Nawaz was quoted as saying in the ministry statement.
Meanwhile, India directly accused Pakistan Army of involvement in a deadly ambush against its troops in Kashmir, as Pakistan’s prime minister tried to ease tensions over the attack.
Indian Defense Minister A. K. Antony also hinted at stronger military action along the Line of Control (LoC) where the ambush overnight Monday saw five Indian soldiers killed, amid opposition claims the government was going soft on Islamabad.
“It is now clear that the specialist troops of Pakistan Army were involved in this attack,” Antony told Parliament. “Nothing happens from Pakistan’s side of the LoC without the support, assistance, facilitation and often direct involvement of the Pakistan Army,” he said.