Islamabad: In a major rebuff to Pakistan's criticism of fencing by India along the border, the European Union (EU) has said New Delhi was within its right to take "technical" measures to control "terrorist infiltration" as the line of control (LoC) was "delineated" by Shimla Accord.

"In Kashmir, although a final solution to the dispute is pending, the line of control has been delineated in accordance with the 1972 Simla Agreement signed by India and Pakistan," EU's Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana told Pakistan daily 'The News' in an interview from Brussels.

Solana virtually defended the fencing as a measure to curb infiltration and declined to equate it with the wall being constructed to separate Jews and Palestinian areas in Gaza by Israel.

"I think that we should not mix issues that do not follow the same logic," Solana said, adding EU sees the Indian fencing along the LoC in the context of "improvement in technical means to control terrorists infiltration".

EU stance followed as section of Pakistan media made LoC fencing a major campaign during the past few weeks, even though Pakistan Government did not refer to it while declaring a unilateral ceasefire, which came into effect from November 26.

In the midst of concerted campaign against fencing, Pakistan chose to lodge a "demarche" to India, protesting against its construction barely three days ago, even though fencing was under construction for over a year.

PTI