Indian firing injures five Pakistanis, says army

Indian cross-border shelling injured five Pakistanis - three children and two women - Tuesday morning, the Pakistani military said.

"Three children and two ladies were injured due to Indian unprovoked shelling" on the Working Boundary near Sialkot in Punjab province, an army statement said.

"Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian shelling," the statement said.

Pakistan and India had declared ceasefire in 2003 along the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region and the guns had relatively been silent since then. However, both sides occasionally exchange fire.

The recent escalations have increased tensions between the nuclear neighbors.

Prime ministers of Pakistan and India met in Ufa, Russia, on July 10 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and decided that their National Security Advisors will meet soon to explore ways to lessen the tensions.

The Pakistani army formally lodged a protest with a United Nations observer group last month after four civilians were killed and five others injured on a single day.

India on its part also claims ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

As a follow-up to the meeting of the two prime ministers, Pakistan released 164 Indian fishermen on Monday.

The Indian fishermen were repatriated to India through Wagah border, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

"Pakistan has always held that the issue of prisoners in our respective countries is a humanitarian one and should be taken in that spirit. It is our hope that both countries will release all prisoners who have completed their sentences," it said. Endi