Indian envoy expresses concern over cross-border firing by Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, T C A Raghavan today expressed serious concern over "unprovoked" firing by Pakistani troops across the border with India.

Addressing media at the Iftar dinner he hosted at the Serena Hotel here, Raghavan said, "Indian soldiers and civilians have been killed in the unprovoked firing".

Raghavan said the ceasefire violation was linked to cross border infiltration bids.

He also termed the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) as irrelevant and said all issued should be addressed bilaterally.

To a question on the uproar in India over journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik's meeting with LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, Raghavan said it showed the level anger in India about the Mumbai attacks and failure to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He also said that the foreign secretaries were in touch and would meet but refused give the dates.

A large number of guests from Pakistan attended the Iftar dinner.