NEW DELHI/ ISLAMABAD (SW): Tension is running higher along Pakistan-India border as the arch rivals blamed each other on Friday for unprovoked shelling that claimed lives on both sides.
Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said at least 11 civilians were killed and several others wounded on Friday during an exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani border troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and Working Boundary in Sialkot's Charwah, Harpal, Chaprar and Sucheetgarh sectors.
On the other side, Indian officials claimed firing by Pakistani border guards along the boundary in Kashmir left three Indian civilians dead and at least 16 wounded. Simrandeep Singh, a local administrator on the Indian side, accused the Pakistani guards of unprovoked firing of small arms and mortars across the border in the R S Pura sector on Thursday night.
The latest incident of firing comes days before India and Pakistan’s border security force chiefs are likely to meet in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Raheel Sharif visited the working boundary and Rangers Headquarters in Sialkot and appreciated the high morale of troops deployed there against the India's 'blatant violations'.
“India has blatantly violated the ceasefire agreement along the working boundary and line of control,” Gen Raheel was quoted as saying by the ISPR.
“We can sense that there is definite linkage between terrorism being sponsored by India in various parts of Pakistan and belligerence along the working boundary and line of control,” the army chief asserted.
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