The Pakistani military today claimed Indian troops had intensified violations and resorted to unprovoked firing in several sectors of the border near Sialkot.
A statement issued by the military's media arm claimed the BSF fired almost 4,000 mortar shells and 59,000 rounds from machine guns during the past two days.
The statement alleged that the "intensified violations" and "unprovoked firing" occurred in Pukhlian, Chaprar, Harpal and Charwah sectors near Sialkot. It further alleged the firing targeted civilian areas and 27 Pakistani posts.
Pakistani troops "effectively responded" to the firing, it said.
The statement said two civilians and a Pakistan Rangers personnel were killed and 26 civilians injured in firing over the past two weeks.
A BSF personnel was killed and seven others were injured when Pakistani troops shelled over 50 border posts along the border overnight.
The heavy shelling and fresh violations of the 2003 ceasefire along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir came close on the heels of Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's visit to areas along the frontier yesterday to review the security situation.
Over 140 ceasefire violations have been reported this year, the highest in the past eight years, the Indian military said.
The latest firing occurred even though India's Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia talked to his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Amir Riaz over phone yesterday.
The talks between the DGMOs followed an agreement between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at their meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
Tensions have simmered at the LoC since late August, when five Indian soldiers were killed in an attack by Pakistani troops.
