In a significant escalation at the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan blamed Indian firing at the LoC’s Bhimber (Nowshera) sector for the death of seven Pakistani soldiers overnight on Sunday; the first time in recent weeks that it has acknowledged such large scale military casualties.
The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said that 26 civilians had been killed and 107 injured on the Pakistani side of the LoC in previous days, and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhury summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to condemn what it called the “unprovoked ceasefire violation”.
Indian Army sources said the ceasefire violation was started by Pakistan in Naushera sector on Sunday night and they had “responded appropriately”.
“We cannot comment on Pakistani claims on casualties on their side. They could be lower or even higher,” an officer said.
The officer denied any loss on the Indian side as claimed by the Pakistani media, adding, “We don’t hide our casualties. If there is something it will come out.” Later in the day, Pakistan’s military spokesperson released photos of each of the soldiers killed, even as the Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was shown attending funeral prayers for them, something close watchers of the military said indicated that the Army would be under pressure to launch possible reprisal attacks on the Indian side.
In Islamabad, Premier Nawaz Sharif’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz said the “Indian actions” may lead to a “strategic miscalculation”, a message that was repeated by the Pakistani Foreign Secretary when he summoned Mr. Bambawale to the Foreign Office. Pakistan also asked the U.N. monitoring group UNMOGIP to send an “urgent report” on the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan to the Security Council.
The MEA did not respond to Pakistan’s claims or to the strong statements.
