Islamabad: Pakistan lodged a strong protest with India on Friday, a day after a Pakistani soldier was killed in a violation of the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir by Indian troops.
The foreign affairs ministry summoned a senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and conveyed Pakistan’s “serious concern”.
Pakistan made it clear that such violations of the LoC will not be tolerated, said a foreign ministry statement.
The diplomat was reminded that India has to respect the ceasefire agreement at the LoC and prevent its forces from such actions.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Indian troops restored to unprovoked firing at the LoC in the Poonch sector near Muzaffarbad on Thursday. “Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian firing,” it added.
The incident took place while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Muzzafarabad, capital of Islamabad-administered part of Kashmir, and extended his support to Kashmiris’ right of self determination.
At least 14 civilians have been killed and 50 others injured on the Pakistan side in incidents of firing across LoC and the Working Boundary by the Indians over the past several weeks, according to officials.
In December last year Pakistan and India had pledged to uphold the 2003 LoC ceasefire accord after defusing serious tension spurred by a wave of skirmishes.
The Himalayan territory of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by the UN-monitored de facto border of LoC but is claimed in full by both the countries.
Prime Minister Sharif on Thursday urged the international community to exert pressure on India to return to the negotiating table to resolve the core Kashmir dispute and other issues between the two South Asian major countries.
In August India unilaterally cancelled scheduled foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan after Pakistani high commissioner in New Delhi met with Kashmiri politicians from Indian-administered part of Kashmir.
