Pakistan attack will affect normalisation of ties: Farooq Abdullah

NEW DELHI: Strongly condemning the killing of five Indian soldiers by Pakistani Army in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch Sector, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah today said it will affect the normalisation of ties between the two nations.

He also said such incidents would affect the dialogue process.

"It will affect the normalisation of relationship. People of India will not want that our soldiers keep on dying and we keep on talking about friendship...Both cannot go on at the same time," Abdullah told reporters outside Parliament House.

Observing that the hand of friendship cannot be extended from one side only, he said, "Pakistan has to stop the killings of Indian soldiers. The dialogue process cannot resume if such a situation continues."

Minister of State for Home RPN Singh termed the incident as "sad" and said that such attacks will not help build ties between the two countries.

"If Pakistan wants better relations with India then this is not the way," he said.

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi asked the government to explain in Parliament the steps it has taken to protect Indian boundaries.

"We demand that the government should clarify in Parliament the steps it is taking to stop attacks on Indian soldiers," he said.

Former Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh condemned the killings, saying, "It is a matter of greater concern."

Pakistani troops entered Indian territory along the Line of Control in the Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir past midnight and ambushed a patrol killing five Indian soldiers and injuring one.