BOMBED BUILDINGS, SPECTATORS, DEBRIS HOMES, PEOPLE RECOVER BEDS FROM RUBBLE.




Initials JRG/V/JH/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AFTER THE DECLARATION OF A CEASEFIRE OVER THE KASHMIR DISPUTE, THE INDIAN CITY OF AMRITSAR WAS BOMBED BY PAKISTANI AIRCRAFT. FIFTY-FOUR PERSONS INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN DIED IN THE RAID AND 65 OTHERS WERE IN HOSPITAL SERIOUSLY INJURED.

FIVE PAKISTANI SABRE JETS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE TAKEN PART. THEIR TARGET, IT WAS THOUGHT, WAS THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF THE CITY. INSTEAD, THE BOMBS -- ONE-THOUSAND POUNDERS -- FELL ON THE THICKLY POPULATED BAZAAR AREA AND DESTROYED NEARLY 50 HOMES.

AMRITSAR, THE HOLY CITY OF THE SIKHS, IS NEAR THE FRONT LINE WHERE FOR THREE WEEKS THE TWO COMMONWEALTH NEIGHBOURS WERE EMBATTLED.THE INDIAN DEFENCE MINISTER MR CHAVAN CALLED THE RAID MOST BARBAROUS AND AGAINST ALL CANONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

(PAKISTAN CLAIMS MORE THAN 7,000 INDIANS DIED IN THE WAR FOR A LOSS OF 830 PAKISTANIS. INDIA'S FIGURES ARE NEARLY 5000 PAKISTANIS DEAD FOR INDIA'S THIRTEEN-HUNDRED.)