Tauseef Mustafa—AFP
One paramilitary soldier killed near Sialkot.
Pakistan accused India of killing a paramilitary soldier in firing across the border in the Punjab province on Thursday in the latest flare-up between the neighboring countries. A Pakistani military official said a member of the paramilitary Rangers was killed “due to unprovoked firing by Indian Border Security forces” near Sialkot.
A spate of cross-border skirmishes this year has raised tensions between India and Pakistan. The violence has been focused on Muslim-majority Kashmir—the divided Himalayan territory claimed in full by both India and Pakistan—which has witnessed some of the worst clashes between the two sides in a decade.
The latest incident comes just weeks after the prime ministers of both countries pledged to restore calm along the Line of Control, the heavily militarized de facto border in Kashmir, at a meeting in New York.
A deadly flare-up along the Line of Control in January stalled peace talks which had only just resumed following a three-year hiatus sparked by the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Violence also erupted along the Line of Control after five Indian soldiers were killed in a raid in August. Delhi blamed that ambush on the Pakistan Army, but Islamabad denied the claims and has repeatedly called for restraint and dialogue. Pakistani border posts near Sialkot came under Indian fire in August, but no casualties were reported.
1 comment
India and Pakistan should settle the Kashmir issue the sooner , the better for both. On the contrary they both exchange fire for achieving what ? Indians have no time, I think since the establishment of India.They should rethink their ageold position for justice to the Kashmere people.No nation wihout justice can stay longer.Injustices crush on the foundation of your state. If you have to give up Kashmir,give it up for the solidarity of union of India. Rather being emotional over Kashmir,Indian people and leaders should pay their respect to the Kashmiri people by giving an opportunity to their fate through a plebiscite. Then India can say to the world , we are a democratic country and she can grow stronger and think of being a super power . That hurdle India will never be able to pass.