KARACHI/LAHORE, Aug 2: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today accused India of bringing the region to the brink of war with its barrage of artillery fire in recent days.Sharif, speaking to reporters after returning to Pakistan from a foreign trip, called on the international community to pressurise India to desist. Otherwise, he said, "New Delhi will be responsible for war in South Asia if Indians continue . killing innocent Kashmiris."Pakistan alleged that unprovoked firing from Indian side has killed 48 villagers in Pakistan Occupied-Kashmir over the last four days.However, Sharif was silent on continued firing by the Pakistani troops for the fourth consecutive day today in Jammu and Kashmir. The death toll in the current episode has risen to 34.Three persons, including two women, were killed in Pakistani troops unprovoked shelling in Uri sector in Baramulla district today.Thirteen houses were also damaged in the shelling, an official spokesman said in Srinagar.Four other personsdied as a result of the Pakistani shelling in Uri sector yesterday, he said. He said shelling by pakistani troops was continuing in Machil and Karnah sector when last reports were received today.He said firing by Pak troops also took place in Pargwal of Jammu sector. Pakistani troops opened fire at seven forward Indian posts along international border and Line of Control (LoC) in Samba and Poonch sector of Jammu division yesterday, a report from Jammu quoting official sources said.The sources said Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing from across the border in Chilas and its adjoining forward posts in Poonch sector last night.Meanwhile, crying wolf, Pakistan has asked the United Nations to increase the strength of its observers mission in the Line of Control which divides India and Pakistan in Kashmir. Pakistan's minister for Kashmir affairs, Majeed Malik, told reporters in Islamabad that civilians have been killed on the Pakistani side in the escalation of tensions in Kashmir over the past threedays.Military observers have described the situation in Kashmir as "very tense." After Pakistan accused Indian fighters of violating its airspace in Kashmir on Saturday, the situation became "very tense," say military sources. The Indian envoy in Islamabad was summoned to the foreign office and a protest from the Pakistani side was lodged with him over what Pakistan describes as "indiscriminate firing by Indian armed forces."Pakistan's army chief said that Pakistan was giving a "befitting reply" to Indian firing. General Jahangir Karamat made these comments according to an official release after visiting Pakistan Army men at a military hospital in Rawalpindi. The men had been injured after their igloo was damaged by Indian firing in Siachen.
