Pakistan protests India's ceasefire violation in Kashmir

Pakistan lodged a protest with India on Saturday over what it called a "ceasefire violation" in the disputed Kashmir region that left a Pakistani old man dead.

The army said earlier in the day that the Indian troops killed a civilian in the latest cross-border firing, a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he will soon send his top diplomat to Islamabad.

Pakistan and Indian border forces have been involved in clashes along the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the two countries in Kashmir, in recent days despite a 2003 ceasefire agreement. They also routinely trade fire along the international border.

"The Government of Pakistan, today, has lodged protest with the Government of India through diplomatic channels over the casualty of a 60-year-old civilian Muhammad Aslam in the Rawlakot sector, caused due to indiscriminate firing by the Indian security forces, " the Foreign Ministry said.

The man was engaged in grass cutting 150 meters inside the LoC on the Pakistani side, the ministry said in a statement.

The latest clash erupted following a phone call from Indian Prime Minister Modi to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, claiming that he will be sending his Foreign Secretary to Islamabad for meetings about the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Prime Minister Sharif told reporters in Lahore on Saturday that Pakistan "will welcome the Indian foreign secretary for talks on all issues."

Indian canceled dialogue with Pakistan in August last year as a protest over a meeting of the Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi with Kashmiri separatist leaders.

Sharif traveled to India for the inauguration of Modi in May last year that had raised hopes for the revival of official talks. However, India has not yet resumed the Composite Dialogue with Pakistan. Endi