RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Dec. 9—Spokesmen reported tonight that Pakistani troops were “hardening” their lines in East Pakistan despite increasing enemy pressure.

A command spokesman said they were fighting “for every inch of territory” and a Government spokesman said, “I think the fighting will be continued as long as it is possible.”

Against this official picture suggesting determination in the face of overwhelming Indian superiority in the East, the command spokesman painted a picture of comparative stability along the fighting sectors of West Pakistan's 1,825‐mile‐long border with India.

Most of the ground action is reportedly taking place in the north, along the cease‐fire line between the Indian and Pakistani sections of the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Indians Called on Defensive

The spokesman said that in the Chhamb sector, where Pakistan launched her largest offensive and penetrated into Indian territory, Indian troops were on the defensive. However, no new territorial gains were reported.

For the second successive day, an arrangement to take newsmen to visit the Chhamb front was called off.

The spokesman said that Indian troops had suffered heavy losses and were regrouping.

Further south, in the Sialkot area, where Indian forces mounted an offensive, heavy fighting was reported. The spokesman said that India was using many tanks.

The army spokesman again denied Indian reports that the East Pakistani city of Jessore had been captured. “Jessore is with us,” he said after a British Broadcasting Corporation correspondent heard in a broadcast here today said that he was speaking from Jessore.

Pledge to Fight On

Asked how long Pakistani troops, who are not being resupplied from the West, could hold out in East Pakistan, he said, “If at any time we must fight with bare hands, we shall do so.”

The command spokesman said of the situation in Jessore: “Our troops are still holding on. The over‐all picture, however, remains confused.”

Two Indian planes were reported shot down today, the lowest number yet claimed in the war. An Indian Canberra bomber was said to have been shot down over Karachi harbor. The other was an Indian HF‐24 Marut fighter reportedly brought down from the ground near Kotri in the Sind region.

The Air Force also asserted that two Indian MIG‐24 interceptors were damaged as they took off from Pathankot Air Base this afternoon to pursue attacking Pakistani planes. All Pakistani aircraft were reported to have returned safely.

Last night, Pakistani planes were said to have attacked the Indian air bases at Ambala, Adampur, Bhuj and Utterlai.