Pakistan claims foiling Indian submarine intrusion

By Aamir Latif and Abdul Gani

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan on Friday said its navy foiled an alleged attempt by Indian submarines to enter its waters amid mounting tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

"The Indian Navy, in order to fulfill its nefarious designs, was deploying submarines. The Pakistan navy, alert and using its extreme skill, prevented Indian submarines from entering Pakistani waters," an official statement from the Pakistan Navy said.

"Pakistan navy fleet units detected the presence of Indian submarines in the southern parts of Pakistani waters…and restricted their activity," the statement said.

The Indian navy denied the allegation.

Speaking to the media, Indian navy spokesman Capt. D.K. Sharma said none of its submarines were in Pakistani waters and, therefore, there was no question of them being driven out. Sharma termed the Pakistani statement as “blatant lies”.

The submarine intrusion claim comes weeks after a brazen attack on a military base in Indian-held Kashmir in September last. Indian blamed Pakistan for the audacious attack in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed. Islamabad, however, denied the charge.

The two neighbors, apart from a diplomatic stand-off, have been engaged in frequent border clashes since the Kashmir attack, which have claimed nearly three dozen lives from both sides.

They have already fought three wars -- two of them over Kashmir -- since 1947 and Islamabad last Tuesday warned it would not refrain from using its nuclear arsenal in case of war with India.

*Abdul Gani from Guwahati, India, contributed to this report.