Indian, Pakistani forces trade fire on border

Islamabad: Pakistan's army spokesman accused Indian forces of violating a 2003 cease-fire in Kashmir on Thursday, but a top Indian official denied the country's army had fired on Pakistan's positions in the disputed Himalayan region.

Pakistan's Major General Athar Abbas said the Indian army fired mortars and small arms without any provocation in the Battal sector of Kashmir. Pakistan's forces returned fire, he said.

The local Pakistani commander lodged a protest with his Indian counterpart, Abbas said.

The army's director general of military operations has also requested a meeting withhis Indian counterpart, he said.

"The Indian army opened fire at 2pm today without any provocation, and our forces deployed there also returned fire," Abbas said. "The Indian army is to be blamed for the breach of cease-fire."

An Indian army spokesman denied its forces targeted Pakistani positions.

"A group of militants fired on our troops during an infiltration bid. Our army returned the fire and foiled the infiltration bid," he said.

He said that in a separate incident in the same area on Thursday, Pakistani soldiers opened fire on Indian positions but: "We didn't retaliate."