MUZZAFFARABAD: Pakistan accused India on Monday of killing a civilian with unprovoked firing in its part of Kashmir.
Tensions have flared again in the heavily militarised Kashmir with the nuclear-armed neighbours accusing each other of cross-border firing.
The latest incident took place when Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing in the wee hours Monday in three areas along the de facto border known as the Line of Control (LoC), a military official said.
Pakistani troops effectively responded to Indian firing, he said, adding that one civilian was killed due to unprovoked Indian shelling.
The prime minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, led a 400-strong protest march to the UN observer mission in Muzaffarabad to demand action to restore peace.
It is responsibility of the UN observer mission to keep peace in Kashmir, he told protesters.
They should fulfil their responsibility by playing a role to stop shelling from India and restore calm in the valley.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tried to ease tensions with India by urging both sides to work swiftly to shore up a 10-year ceasefire threatened by the recent attacks.
On Sunday, Pakistan accused India of firing on border posts in Kashmir and neighbouring Punjab province.
Pak summons Indian envoy
Pakistan Monday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Baglay to express its “serious concern” over alleged ceasefire violations on the Line of Control over the past few days.
Pakistan also requested the Indian government to ensure security and safety of offices of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in India following threats, purportedly by the Shiv Sena, to shut down its Delhi and Mumbai offices, the Pakistan High Commission said in New Delhi.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement in Islamabad said Pakistan has “expressed its serious concern over the continuous ceasefire violations by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) across the LoC over the past couple of days”.
The Foreign Office summoned Baglay in the afternoon “to raise this concern which has resulted in the loss of an innocent civilian life in Rawalakot”.
Pakistan also called upon India to “uphold the ceasefire over the LoC” and reiterated its commitment to the November 2003 ceasefire “which should be respected in letter and spirit”.
“Pakistan also urges the need for abiding by and strengthening existing military mechanisms to ensure that such violations do not recur.
“Pakistan is committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India and believes that serious efforts need to be made in maintaining a positive atmosphere and avoid negative propaganda,” said the Foreign Office statement.
According to an Indian defence spokesperson in Jammu, Pakistani troops violated the bilateral ceasefire thrice since Sunday, firing at Indian positions from across the border.
India responded to the Pakistani fire, and the exchange of fire continued till 3.30 a.m. Monday. Indian forces said Pakistan used heavy weapons to fire at the Indian positions.
On Sunday, Pakistan Rangers fired at a Border Security Force (BSF) post at Kanachak in Jammu district, injuring a BSF trooper.
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