ISLAMABAD: Hours after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan will speak with Kashmiri leaders before it enters into dialogue with India, a Pakistan army soldier was killed by Indian troops’ ‘unprovoked firing’ at the LoC in Pandu sector near Muzaffarabad on Thursday.

A statement issued by the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that “Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian firing”.

The incident took place the same day when PM Sharif visited Azad Jammu-Kashmir (AJK) capital and extended his support to Kashmiris for their right of self determination.

Read: Pakistan to talk to Kashmiri leaders before dialogue with India: Nawaz

A little more than a month ago, at least 14 civilians were killed and 50 others were injured by the cross border firing at LoC and the Working Boundary (WB).

In December last year, Pakistan and India had pledged to uphold the 2003 LoC ceasefire accord which had been left in tatters by repeated violations that year. The truce breaches had put the nascent bilateral peace dialogue on hold.

The Himalayan territory of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by the UN-monitored de facto border of LoC but is claimed in full by both the countries.

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Ceasefire violations along the LoC and Working Boundary between Pakistan and India continue intermittently, with casualties reported on both sides.