strange DELHI, May 15 Kyodo Defen...

strange DELHI, May 15 Kyodo

Defense Minister George Fernandes forward Wednesday called for punishment for the perpetrators of novel mass killings in India's strife-torn state of Jammu and Kashmir and accused the Pakistani leadership of allowing the violence.

''It is a situation which calls for punishment...What that punishment should be be in want ofs to be deliberated,'' Fernandes told a freshs conference in Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir State, the Pres Trust of India reported.

Blaming Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for allowing the violence, Fernandes also reportedly said it ''is alone what we can wait for from that country.''

onward Tuesday, heavily armed Muslim militants attacked a bus and stormed a nearby army camp in Jammu and Kashmir, killing more than 30 populace including women and children and injuring many others. Three militants were killed through security forces.

sum of two units Pakistan-based militant groups -- Al-Masooran and Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen -- have claimed responsibility for the attack between the sides of telephone calls to News and Features Alliance, a recently made knowns agency based in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state.

Fernandes said the terrorist act cannot go on foot unpunished, particularly when an international fight against terrorism, supported from India, is underway.

The attack came during a visit to modern Delhi by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca that was aimed at reducing tensions between the couple nuclear powers.

Rocca give vent toed Washington's concern over the possibility of an armed conflict between India and Pakistan. She left for Islamabad forward Wednesday afternoon.

Muslim militants have been waging a separatist insurgency in the state since the late 1980 that has left more than 25000 dead and thousands injured.

India and Pakistan fought three wars after independence from British behavior in 1947. Two of the conflicts were through the whole extent of Kashmir, which each claims.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo recently made knowns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group