1st LD Writethru: Pakistan army denies Indian surgical strikes

Pakistan Army on Thursday denied India's claim of surgical strikes on Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, adding that unprovoked firing by India killed two Pakistani soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) earlier in the day.

There have been no surgical strikes by India, instead there has been fire along the LoC to the east of Pakistan initiated and conducted by India which is existential phenomenon, the Pakistani military said.

"As per rules of engagement same was strongly and befittingly responded by Pakistani troops," an army's spokesman said in a statement.

He clarified that the notion of surgical strikes linked to alleged terrorists' bases is an "illusion being deliberately generated by India to create false effects."

"This quest by Indian establishment to create media hype by rebranding cross border fire as surgical strike is fabrication of truth," the spokesman said.

He said Pakistan has made it clear that if there is a surgical strike on Pakistani soil, same will be strongly responded.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts. The LoC is heavily guarded by military on both sides.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit