November 7, 2001	Wednesday	Shaba’an 20, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: Pakistan accused India on Tuesday of launching a heavy artillery and mortar barrage at civilian targets across the Kashmir border.

The barrage in the Neelum Valley region was accompanied by small-arms fire in which one civilian was shot dead by an Indian sniper, said DG ISPR Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi.

Another civilian suffered serious injuries from mortar splinters, Gen Qureshi said, adding that Pakistani artillery units had returned fire.

In New Delhi, an Indian defence ministry spokesman rejected the allegations as “absolutely untrue”.

“There is nothing unusual except for the routine firing that occurs all the time at our borders and this allegation is absolutely untrue,” the spokesman said.

“It is also a routine Pakistani allegation,” the official added.

Indian and Pakistani troops have been exchanging fire over their international border and the LoC since last month.

Tensions first erupted when the Indian army launched a “punitive” artillery barrage against the Pakistani army along the LoC on Oct 15, damaging or destroying 11 Pakistani posts in the heaviest fire in eight months along the border.—AFP