Pakistan Accused of Cross-Border Firing

The defense minister of the new, Hindu-led government accused Pakistan of firing artillery, mortars and guns across the border to cover up the movement of militants into Kashmir, a disputed region where tensions have risen since New Delhi resumed nuclear testing. Pakistan, which has been weighing whether to respond with nuclear tests of its own, denied the charge. Since Tuesday, Pakistan has fired artillery, mortars, antiaircraft guns and automatic weapons into India, the Defense Ministry said. It did not mention casualties and said Indian troops did not return fire. “Pakistan firing and artillery shelling has been totally unprovoked, and it appears to be a cover-up activity to push in heavily armed militant groups into Kashmir valley,” the ministry said. A Pakistani government official called the accusations baseless, according to the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan.