Pakistan says military clashes with India are ongoing along the disputed Kashmir border, killing at least two Pakistani civilians and wounding 10 people Wednesday.
According to a Pakistan military statement, the two fatalities occurred when Indian border forces launched “unprovoked” fire across the Shaprar Sector. It said Pakistani forces “are befittingly responding to Indian firing.”
The military says border skirmishes this year have caused four civilian fatalities and wounded up to 25 others.
There was no immediate reaction from India to Pakistani assertions.
Pakistan's foreign ministry later said it summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad and a strong protest was lodged against what it alleged are unprovoked cease-fire violations by Indian forces.
“It was conveyed to the Indian side that it should investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistan, instruct its troops to respect the cease-fire in letter and spirit, refrain from intentionally targeting the villages,” it said.
This was the second time this week that Pakistan summoned the diplomat over the issue. On Tuesday, New Delhi blamed Pakistani forces for violating the cease-fire by attacking Indian army positions with mortar and small arms fire.
Independent sources have not been able to confirm either claim.
Tensions between the archival nations have spiked since a militant raid on an Indian army camp in Kashmir on September 18 that left eight soldiers dead.
New Delhi accused Islamabad of planning the deadly raid — charges Pakistan has rejected.
Days later, India announced that its troops had conducted a “surgical strike” on the Pakistani side of the divided Himalayan region, eliminating "a group of militants preparing to infiltrate the Kashmir Line of Control."
Pakistan's military swiftly refuted the claim as fabricated and concocted, and warned any such act by India would be considered “an act of war."
