Pakistani and Indian troops Saturday (today) exchanged fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Bhimber sector, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.
“Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing which started at 0400 and continued till 0800 at LoC in Bhimber sector today,” reads the statement.
No loss of life has been reported yet.
Read more: Dead bodies of 8 Indian soldiers still lying unattended at LoC
In 2003, Pakistan and India reached a landmark agreement to maintain the ceasefire along the LoC. However, many violations have occurred since.
Earlier, two Pakistan Army soldiers were killed on Thursday as Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber, Kel and Lipa sectors.
It later emerged that an Indian soldier was captured by the Pakistan army, while Indian soldiers were also killed in a “befitting response” by Pakistani troops.
According to the ISPR, exchange of fire took place in the Bhimber, Hot Spring, Kel and Lipa sectors, and lasted about six hours early on Thursday, the Pakistani military’s press wing said in a statement, adding Pakistani troops mounted a fitting response to unprovoked Indian firing.
India claimed to have conducted surgical strikes along the LoC. “India’s claims of surgical strikes are baseless,” DG ISPR Asim Bajwa said in a statement. “There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross-border fire initiated and conducted by India.”
“As per rules of engagement same was strongly and befittingly responded by Pakistani troops” ISPR added.
Read more: Pak Army denies India’s claim of ‘surgical strikes’ at LoC: ISPR
Last week, India initiated a diplomatic drive to isolate Pakistan after blaming it for the Sept 18 attack on the Uri army camp in IHK which killed 18 soldiers ─ a claim which Pakistan has rejected.
Tensions between the South Asian rivals have been high since an Indian crackdown on dissent in India-held Kashmir following the killing by Indian forces of Burhan Wani, a young separatist leader, in July.
On Wednesday, India pulled out of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit scheduled to be held in November in Islamabad. Several other Saarc members followed suit, leading to the postponement of the summit.
Read more: Indian army resorts to unprovoked firing at LoC, Pak army soldiers killed