Indian firing at LoC kills Pakistani soldier

At least 20 civilians have been killed in the recent exchanges of fire across LoC

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani soldier was killed on Thursday in ‘unprovoked’ firing by Indian forces from across the Line of Control (LoC), officials said.

According to the military’s media wing, Indian forces violated the delicate ceasefire on the border that divides Kashmir between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in Pandu Sector near Muzaffarabad.

“A Pakistan Army soldier embraced shahadat. Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian firing,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Recent exchanges of fire across the contentious border between the two archrivals have killed at least 20 civilians and forced thousands to flee their homes.

The small-arms and mortar exchanges – which officials describe as the worst violation of a 2003 ceasefire agreement – has left dozens of civilians wounded in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2014.