Indian cross-border fire across LoC kills seven Pakistani soldiers: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: At least seven Pakistani soldiers were killed on Sunday night during cross-border firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region, where tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have surged in recent months.

“Seven soldiers embraced Shahadat (martyrdom) at the LoC in the Bhimber sector in cross-fire LoC violation by Indian troops late last night,” the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Monday.

“Pakistani troops while responding to Indian unprovoked firing targeted Indian posts effectively,” the military statement added.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria strongly condemned the ‘continuous’ and ‘unprovoked’ firing by Indian forces in his tweet and added, “Pakistan Army responding in a befitting manner. We salute our valiant soldiers who render ultimate sacrifices for the national cause.”

We strongly condemn continuous unprovoked #CFVbyIndia @Bhimber Sec, resulting in martyrdom of 7 Pakistani soldiers

— M. Nafees Zakaria (@ForeignOfficePk) November 14, 2016

Pakistan Army responding in befitting manner. We salute our valiant soldiers who render ultimate sacrifices for national cause

— M. Nafees Zakaria (@ForeignOfficePk) November 14, 2016

Reacting on the killing of Pakistani soldiers, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the armed forces of the country were responding well against the Indian aggression, however, he also warned that heightened political and border strains between the nuclear neighbours would affect the entire region.

 

Photos of army martyrs

 

COAS attending funeral prayers of martyrs

  

Serious cross-border tensions

Tension between Pakistan and India has been high since July, when Indian forces killed a young Kashmiri fighter in Indian-held Kashmir, prompting months of protests and a security crackdown that has claimed several lives.

Both countries claim Kashmir but administer separate parts, divided by a de facto border. Since independence from the British in 1947, they have fought two of their three wars over the territory.   

Tension ratcheted further in September, when 18 Indian soldiers were killed at an army base in Indian-held Kashmir, in an attack Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. However, Pakistan denied that it was involved in that attack.

Several days later, India claimed it had carried out ‘surgical strikes’ on militant bases across the border, a claim Pakistan dismissed as ‘an illusion’.

Recently, both countries expelled each others’ diplomats, and named a number of others as being involved in spying.

Violations of a 2003 ceasefire on the de facto border have regularly occurred in the last two months.