Border firing kills 9 on Pakistan-India war anniversary

ISPR says 46 people have been injured, including 22 women, in Indian firing­

Cross-border firing between India and Pakistan killed at least nine people on Friday, the day India marked the 50th anniversary of a war between the two neighbours.

On the Pakistani side of the frontier, six civilians were killed and more than 40 were treated for wounds in hospital in the town of Sialkot, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

India's Border Security Force said three civilians had died and 22 were wounded in firing across the frontier in the northern Jammu region. Both said the other side had opened fire first.

Read: 1 woman killed, 2 injured as Indian army resorts to 'unprovoked firing' in Charwa sector

"Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing. Initially, small were used but later mortar bombs were shelled on BSF posts and civilian areas," a BSF spokesperson said. "The BSF also gave a fitting reply."

Pakistan Rangers spokesperson Major Waheed Bukhari gave a different account, saying that unprovoked firing had started overnight from the Indian side. It was followed by retaliation from the Rangers.

A Pakistani military statement also said its troops "are befittingly responding to Indian firing". The accounts could not be independently verified, but tensions have been running high between the nuclear-armed neighbours since peace talks that were due to be held last weekend were called off at the last minute.

Read: Indian envoy summoned for third time in a week

The talks had been agreed on at a meeting last month in Russia between prime ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif, but fell apart over whether the disputed territory of Kashmir should be put on the agenda.

In New Delhi, leaders marked the anniversary of the 1965 war fought over Kashmir that ended in a ceasefire and a return to front lines that predated the conflict.

Meanwhile, ISPR reported that At least six people were killed while 46 others were injured as India's Border Security Force (BSF) resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling  in Charwa Sector near the Sialkot Working Boundary.