ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has asked India not to intensify tension as cross border firing could threaten peace.
Senior officials at the foreign ministry told The Nation that Pakistan had contacted India after the recent firing along the Line of Control, and urged New Delhi to stop the ‘dangerous game.’
“We definitely have to respond to Indian firing. This is dangerous for the peace in the region,” said one official, citing talks with the Indian counterparts through the diplomatic channels.
He said Pakistan also pretested over the killing of civilians along the LoC by the unprovoked Indian firing.
Another official said Pakistan had asked the United States to take notice of LoC violations by India. “The US has been seeking peace in the region.
We have told them that it is India not Pakistan that is endangering it,” he added.
Islamabad says border firing threat to peace
This week, two people were killed after Indian firing along the LoC. A woman and a 12-year-old boy were killed while another woman was injured in the attack.
The deceased have been identified as Nasreen Bibi and Muhammad Zahid, while the injured as Sonia Bibi. In retaliation, the Pakistan army targeted an Indian check-post along the border.
The military said India violated the ceasefire along the LoC by indiscriminately firing at civilian settlements in the Kot Katera and Tatta Pani sectors.
Last month, Pakistan released 360 Indian prisoners as a goodwill gesture amid persistent tension between the two nuclear armed neighbours.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal said Pakistan had been taking positive steps over the years to improve Pak-India ties without any response from India.
Pakistan-India ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place.
The nuclear armed neighbours have fought three wars since gaining independence from the British in 1947.
Tensions between Pakistan and India have been high since the killing of a Kashmiri freedom fighter, Burhan Wani, in July 2016.
An attack on Indian forces in September 2016 - that killed 19 soldiers in Uri area of held Kashmir - further heightened the tensions. India also claimed it had carried a “surgical strike” to avenge the Uri attack. Pakistan rejected the Indian assertion.
In February, India accused Pakistan of backing the Pulwama attack that killed more than 40 Indian soldiers.
The latest confrontation erupted after the suicide bombing on February 14. The attack was allegedly claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed. Pakistan denied any link.
In January, Pakistan and India shared a list of prisoners lodged in jails as per the provisions of a bilateral agreement.
The step was taken under the Consular Access Agreement of May 21, 2008 between Pakistan and India.
According to the agreement, both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1.
The two countries have adhered to the practice of exchanging the list of prisoners despite recurring tensions.
Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each other’s territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away.
Pakistan released 100 fishermen on April 8, 100 on April 15 and 100 fishermen on April 22.
The last batch of 60 Indian prisoners, comprising five fishermen and 55 civilians, were freed on April 29.
At least 347 Pakistani prisoners are incarcerated in Indian jails, which comprise 249 civilians and 98 fishermen.