India, Pakistan troops trade fire on Kashmir LoC

The troops of India and Pakistan Friday resorted to mortar shelling, targeting each other's positions on Line of Control (LoC) in restive Kashmir.

The cease-fire agreement was violated in Shaunzia sector of frontier Poonch district, about 187 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Pakistani forces resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling and firing early this morning in some civilian areas and Indian positions in Shaunzia sector of Poonch district," officials said.

India's official broadcaster - All India Radio (AIR) Friday said Indian troops guarding the LoC retaliated to firing from Pakistan.

"The exchange of fire was going on when reports last came in," the broadcaster said. "This is the fourth incident of cease-fire violation by Pakistan along the LoC in Poonch in the last 36 hours. "

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply to the other side.

The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the 720-km-long Line of Control (LoC) and 198 km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe cease-fire. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect.

The fresh spell of firing has triggered panic among residents in frontier areas on both sides of the divide, reports said. Endi