- NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India,
angry at what it says is Pakistan's failure to move against anti-Indian
militants, on Thursday unveiled fresh sanctions against Islamabad, but
said there was no need to worry about war between the nuclear
rivals.
-
- Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters the
cabinet's
security committee had decided to halve India's diplomatic mission in
Pakistan
and Islamabad's mission in New Delhi, restrict the movement of Pakistani
diplomats and halt Pakistan International Airlines' rights to fly over
Indian airspace.
-
- Tensions between the two rivals are rising amid their
biggest military build-up in 15 years and an increasingly bitter war of
words, sparking fears of war.
-
- India is demanding Pakistan move against Pakistan-based
separatists fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. It blames the separatists
for the December 13 attack on India's parliament in which 14 people died,
including the five assailants.
-
- ___
-
- ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -
Pakistan
retaliated against India on Thursday with tit-for-tat sanctions, saying
it would halve India's diplomatic staff in Islamabad and ban Indian
overflights.
-
- Tensions between the two rivals are rising amid their
biggest military build-up in 15 years and an increasingly bitter war of
words, sparking fears of war.
-
- "We have to take reciprocal actions. We will slash
their diplomatic staff by 50 percent. Their staff will also be limited
to Islamabad," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan.
-
- "We will also not permit overflying of Indian
airlines
just as they have banned PIA flights," he said.
-
- India, angry at what it says is Pakistan's failure to
move against anti-Indian militants, unveiled fresh sanctions against
Islamabad,
but said there was no need to worry about war between the nuclear
rivals.
-
- "The Pakistan government is greatly disappointed
and saddened at these steps because these will fuel the atmosphere of
tension,"
Khan said.
-
- India is demanding Pakistan move against Pakistan-based
separatists fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. It blames them for the
December
13 attack on India's parliament in which 14 people died, including the
five assailants.
|
