MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan accused Indian troops yesterday of wounding two civilians, including a seven-year-old boy, in incidents of "unprovoked firing" from across the de facto border in disputed Kashmir.
India’s army blamed Pakistan for firing on its troops, alleging its arch-rival had breached a ceasefire.
The clashes were the first in the Himalayan region since a new right-wing Indian government came to power last month headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They follow cross-border skirmishes last year.
On the Pakistani side, police official Chaudhry Ameen said “a seven-year-old boy was injured due to unprovoked shelling by Indian troops in Nakyal sector,” referring to a border district 125km from Muzaffarabad city.
But Indian defence spokesman Manish Mehta said the Pakistani army was responsible for firing on Indian soldiers “using automatic weapons and mortars” in the district of Rajouri, which borders Nakyal.
Mehta said the Indian army responded to the firing, which continued for about half an hour, adding there were no casualties or damage on the Indian side.
Aother Pakistani civilian was wounded after Indian troops allegedly opened fire in Battal, a district 65km north of the first clash, according to local government official Malik Ayub.
Indian defence officials said they had no knowledge of the second incident.
Yesterday’s events, described as a “ceasefire violation” by India, come a day before India’s new Defence Minister Arun Jaitley is scheduled to visit the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir for a security review. The last war between both countries was in 1999 when Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party was in charge of the national government and Pakistan’s current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was in office during a previous stint. AFP
