ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tried Thursday to ease tensions with India by urging both sides to work swiftly to shore up a 10-year ceasefire threatened by recent attacks.
He made the remarks shortly after the Indian government for the first time directly accused Pakistan's army of involvement in an ambush that killed five Indian soldiers on Monday in occupied Kashmir.
India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony said specialist Pakistani troops had been involved in the attack and hinted at stronger military action.
But Sharif said he was looking forward to meeting his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.
In remarks made at the Pakistani foreign ministry and released by his office, Sharif expressed his sadness over the loss of life and said it was "imperative" for India and Pakistan to take "effective steps to ensure and restore" the truce.
He said existing military channels could be more "optimally utilised" to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Sharif said leaders on both sides needed to engage "constructively with a view to building trust and confidence".
He also stressed that he was looking forward to meeting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh next month in New York to discuss steps to further build trust and consolidate ties.
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