ISLAMABAD: Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire on Sunday, officials said, the latest in a series of clashes that began earlier this month and have claimed at least 20 civilian lives.

No-one was injured in the latest incident, which according to a Pakistan Army statement began when Indian troops resorted to “unprovoked” fire across the Working Boundary in Sialkot.

Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, meanwhile, had a phone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, officials said.

Mr Aziz told Mr Ban that Pakistan “is fully united and determined to thwart any aggression” but had responded to India’s provocations with utmost restraint and responsibility, according to a statement released by his office.

The UN chief reiterated his concern over the escalation of violation of ceasefire along the Line of Control and deplored the loss of lives.

He emphasised the importance of taking necessary steps by both sides to de-escalate the situation and resolve all outstanding issues through negotiations.

According to the Foreign Office’s spokesperson, they discussed the situation along the LoC and the Working Boundary.

On Oct 11, Mr Aziz had sent a letter to the UN secretary general on the situation arising out of the ceasefire violations by the Indian forces over the past weeks.

He briefed the secretary general on the frequency and intensity of the unprovoked and indiscriminate firing and shelling by the Indian forces and resultant civilian deaths and injuries and damage to property.

He said India should be advised to adopt a mature and reasonable approach, and restrain its armed forces from acting irrationally.

Reiterating Pakistan’s policy of maintaining good neighbourly relations, he underlined the need for early restoration of peace and tranquillity on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

He said that in the interest of durable peace in the region, there must also be a way forward for resolving outstanding disputes, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, on which the UN itself had permanent responsibility to implement its own resolutions that promised self-determination to Kashmiri people.Rej­ecting bilateral dialogue and denying international engagement and legitimacy were unhelpful and counter-productive, he pointed out.

Appreciating the work of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, he said its role should be strengthened to facilitate more effective monitoring and reporting of ceasefire violations. The UN’s engagement would add to its credibility in managing crisis situations, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2014