India asks Pak to uphold sanctity of Line of Control

A day after its Deputy High Commissioner was called to the Pakistan Foreign Office to lodge a protest over what it termed as an "unprovoked Indian attack" on one of its military posts along the LoC, India denied violating the ceasefire, saying, Pakistan troops started "unprovoked firing" on Indian troops who undertook controlled retaliation in response.

"We deny that Indian troops had crossed the Line of Control in the Rampur sector or had violated the ceasefire.

"The fact is that in the early hours of January 6, Pakistan troops in the sector commenced unprovoked firing on Indian troops. The roof of a civilian house in Churunda village was damaged in the Pak mortar fire. Indian troops undertook controlled retaliation in response," the official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said here.

"We also call upon the Pakistan authorities to ensure that the sanctity of the Line of Control is upheld at all times and to ensure that such incidents of unprovoked firing across the LoC do not recur," he said.

He also asserted that "India is strongly committed to the sanctity of the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir, which is the most important Confidence Building Measure (CBM) between the two countries. The ceasefire along the LoC, which has largely held since 2003, is an important element of this CBM. The Director Generals for Military Operations (DGsMO) of both sides have spoken to each other on the incident."

Claiming that Indian troops had allegedly crossed the LoC and "raided" a border post, Pakistan said its troops "effectively responded and repulsed the attack successfully".

The incident had resulted in the death of a Pakistani soldier and injuries to another, they also charged.

However, the Indian Army denied the incident and said "no such incident has taken place where our soldiers have attacked any Pakistani post."

Indian army sources also said this allegation by the Pakistani army seems to be an attempt to cover up its firing on Indian posts in Uri sector.