Pakistan military officers on leave recalled after tensions rise

Islamabad: Pakistan cancelled leave for members of its armed forces on Friday, beefing up its military strength in case of conflict with India over the deadly Mumbai attacks, a senior military official said.

The military remains on alert, but it has not moved additional troops to the Indian border, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Pakistan Air Force having conducted exercises on its eastern border with India earlier this week, has already been put on alert since two Indian Air Force jets violated Pakistan air space on December 13 - the situation that gave rise to tensions between the South Asian neighbours in the aftermath of Mumbai terrorist attacks.

In case of large mobilisation of troops on the eastern border by India, the Pakistan Army would be compelled to withdraw troops from western border with Afghanistan and troops indulged in war against terror in the tribal region, to be deployed at the Pakistan-India border, the official said.

Tribal areas

"So far no such movement of troops has taken place from westeran border of the country to the eastern border with India," he confirmed.

The rising tension between Pakistan and India have already affected the operations in the tribal areas and especially Pakistan's efforts in war against terror, western media reports said. Military operations in Pakistani tribal areas are hard hit, the British media reports said.

Pakistani officials say confrontation with India in the wake of Mumbai attacks might not end for years, but their strategy has not let India stay at a position militarily, politically and diplomatically it had achieved immediately after the Mumbai attacks due to sympathies from the international community. Sentimental political statements and threats of surgical strikes in Pakistan has proved counter productive for India, officials claim.

Meanwhile, India said it had not cancelled any time off for its military.

"People are taking leave, no problem," said Indian Defence Ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar. "We have an optimum number, which is always maintained."

Both nuclear-armed neighbours have said they hope to avoid military conflict over last month's attacks, which killed more than 160 people.

But Pakistan has promised to respond aggressively if India uses force, an option the Indian government has not ruled out as it presses its neighbour to crack down on the Pakistan-based terrorist group it blames for the attacks.

"We need a de-escalation in tension through negotiations," Babar Awan, Pakistan's minister for parliamentary affairs, told reporters.

"We will continue our efforts at an international level and also at a regional level, but let me make it very clear that we will not surrender an inch. We will fight any adventure, any aggression."

Hard-liners have sought to raise tensions between the two countries after the Mumbai assaults, but senior Indian and Pakistani officials have tried to navigate a careful path.