Girl dies as India violates LoC ceasefire

Another child injured during cross-border clashes

LAHORE: A thirteen-year-old girl was killed when Indian Border Security Force (BSF) allegedly resorted to unprovoked firing across the LoC in Shakargarh and Zafarwal sectors, Express News reported on Saturday.

The young victim died in the area of Chak Nihala.

Another child was also injured in Chak Saleem during the clash.

"Thirteen-years-old Sumaira, resident of Zafarwal sector embraced martyrdom due to the firing and eight-year-old Mursaleen of Shakargarh sector got injured, " the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement confirmed.

It added Pakistani paramilitary forces responded "befittingly" to Indian fire.

On the Indian side, 10 civilians were injured and a woman succumbed to injuries, a senior police official in Indian-administered Kashmir told AFP.

Commenting on the unprovoked Indian firing on the Working Boundary near Sialkot, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan is capable to give a befitting response to any aggression.

Further, the defence minster said Pakistan is a peace-loving country which is committed to regional peace.

The incident took place just a few days after two Pakistani Rangers were killed in Indian firing along the working boundary on December 31.

Pakistan had, consequently, lodged a protest with India and sought a probe into the incident.