Senior former Army officers condemn attack by Pakistan troops

NEW DELHI: Senior former Army officers today condemned the attack by Pakistani troops killing two soldiers with some of them raising questions over the ongoing efforts to establish peaceful relations between the two countries.

"It is a shocking incident that has taken place. In that intrusion one of our patrols is ambushed and then bodies are mutilated. It is a serious incident and can have serious repercussions. The point is that there have been so many ceasefire violations," former Army Chief Gen V P Malik said.

The former Army Chief, who led the Army during the Kargil war, said, "I do not think that our diplomatic channels are taking the gross situation into consideration. There is a serious disconnect."

Maj Gen (Retd) Sheru Thapliyal, who led a division in Jammu and Kashmir, said the incident highlights the point that the Pakistan Army is not serious about having peace with India.

"On one hand we are having these talks and holding cricket matches while on the other hand, Pakistan Army troops attack and kill our soldiers. To add insult to injury, they even decapitated our troops," he said.

Thapliyal said India should realise that Pakistan will not change and there should be a review of decisions to have peace talks and cricketing ties with it.