ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has been fearing a war with India for the last two years amid New Delhi’s aggression, officials said.
Senior officials at the foreign ministry told The Nation that India had never responded positively to Pakistan’s efforts to improve the ties since the 2016 killing of Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Wani.
“India is responsible for a war-like situation [with Pakistan]. They have been the aggressors but are playing as victims. For the last two years, Pakistan has feared a war with India due to their excesses,” said one official.
He added: “Whatever contacts we had with India during this tense period, we urged them to stop violating the ceasefire agreement but every time they escalated the tension. We are in contact with the influential countries to stop India from crossing the limits. A war would ruin the whole region.”
Reports said the cross-border clashes between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India had reached the highest levels in 15 years.
Hundreds of people have been killed or wounded in the clashes instigated by India.
The Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary had remained relatively peaceful after the 2003 ceasefire agreement but India violated the deal numerous times in the recent months, prompting response from Pakistan.
Pakistan claims 1,970 violations in 2017 against 168 two years earlier, and 415 until the beginning of March 2018.
The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since gaining independence from the British in 1947.
The two regularly trade allegations of harassment and espionage against diplomats.
Lately, Pakistan is active to de-escalate tension with India as Islamabad plans to host a group of Indian doctors to treat Indian prisoners detained here.
India had proposed that a group of 20 doctors be allowed a visit to Pakistan to examine women, children, elderly and mentally-unsound prisoners.
The two countries have already agreed for the release of these prisoners.
Tensions between Pakistan and India have been high since the killing of a Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Wani in July 2016.
An attack on Indian forces in September 2016 - that killed 19 soldiers in Uri area of held Kashmir - further heightened the tensions.
India also claimed it had carried out a “surgical strike” to avenge the Uri attack.
Pakistan rejected the Indian claim.
This week, India accused Pakistan of inciting the Sikh community to intensify the “Khalistan” campaign.
The foreign ministry categorically rejected the Indian allegations.
Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal said Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh had been summoned to the Foreign Office several times over unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the LoC, resulting in the deaths of civilians.
“In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 900 ceasefire violations, resulting in the death of 21 innocent civilians, while injuring 90 others. The Indian forces are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons along the LoC and the Working boundary,” the spokesperson said.
He said India was also trying to damage the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc).
“Indian belligerence has brought this multilateral forum to a halt, holding hostage the development and economic progress of the whole region,” he added.
Despite tensions, an Indian lawmaker has proposed to introduce an additional gate at the Wagah border between the two countries to facilitate people.
Shwait Malik, a member of Indian parliament, said the new gate should be built next to the business gate.
International affairs expert Dr AZ Hilali said India was not happy over the implementation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and was trying to engage Pakistan along the LoC and the WB.
He warned the Indian ceasefire violations along the LoC could lead to strategic miscalculation.
“Pakistan does not want war with India but our armed forces, civilian institutions and military are fully capable to respond to Indian aggression. India should not push the region into a war,” Dr Hilali said.
