ISALAMABAD: Pakistan summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh for the third consecutive day today to condemn "unprovoked ceasefire violations" at the LoC, saying Indian troops were "intentionally" targeting civilian areas. Director-General ((South Asia and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and strongly condemned the ceasefire violations by Indian troops in Dhudnial sector "by intentionally targeting a civilian bus", resulting in the death of nine civilians and injuring 9, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
This was the third time Singh was called in by Pakistan to lodge a protest over the ceasefire violations at the LoC. On Monday - and then on Tuesday - he was summoned. Earlier today, Pakistan Army said seven persons, including three of its soldiers, were killed in an exchange of fire with Indian troops on the LoC.
The clash occurred a day after India warned of retribution after losing three soldiers in Pakistan firing and after Pakistan yesterday rejected as "false" and "baseless" the charges that the body of an Indian soldier was mutilated by Pakistani soldiers in a cross LoC-attack. Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria in a series of tweets had said the reports about the mutilation were aimed at maligning Pakistan. Indian and Pakistani DGMOs also talked today in an "unscheduled" hotline interaction during which the "unethical" act of mutilation of bodies of Indian soldiers by "terrorists" was raised.
The interaction between the military officers was requested by Pakistan after the Indian action at the LoC.