For a third consecutive day, Pakistan has summoned an Indian diplomat in Islamabad over alleged ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in which it claimed at least three Pakistanis, including a soldier, were killed.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said Director General Dr. Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to condemn "continuous ceasefire violations" along the Line of Control (LoC) in Lipa and Battal Sectors, which have resulted in the killing of two civilians, Muhammad Aziz and Muneeb, as well as Muhammad Ramzan, a serviceman.
Pakistan urged India to “instruct its forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary”.
Another brave son of soil laid his life in the line of duty. Sepoy Muhammad Sheeraz embraced shahadat due to Indian firing in Buttal Sector along LOC. pic.twitter.com/BAozVnsuGY
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 16, 2019
On Thursday, eight Indian and Pakistani military personnel were killed in the firing, the Pakistani military and local officials reported. The deaths were caused by two separate incidents, with the Pakistani military saying the casualties included three Pakistani soldiers.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army called the Pakistan military claim “fictitious”, saying no such loss of life had occurred in the Indian side as claimed by Pakistan military spokesperson Major Gen. Asif Ghafoor.
India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir, which was divided between them when they declared independence from the UK in 1947. Each side claims sovereignty over the entire region.
Last week, the Parliament of India voted to amend the Indian constitution, formally ending the state's autonomous status under Article 370 and converting the state into two separate union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
