ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif visited the Working Boundary in Sialkot on Thursday — days ahead of the Indian foreign secretary's scheduled visit to Pakistan — and warned that any provocation along the line of control (LoC) and the WB would meet a befitting response.

General Raheel made these remarks while visiting areas near the WB in Sialkot, which have been among the most affected by recent cross border firing.

During his visit, the army chief was briefed about the latest security situation in the area.

Addressing the troops and the local population, the army chief said recent ceasefire violations by the Indian army on the Working Boundary and the LoC were an attempt to distract the Pakistan army from its operation against terrorists, adding that this also affected regional stability.

"Let there be no doubt that any provocation along LoC and Working Boundary will meet a befitting response," he said. General Raheel expressed solidarity with the villagers affected by the firing and commended their resilience.

The army chief also lauded the troops stationed in the area, saying "the nation stands united for the defence of motherland".

Earlier on Friday, the Foreign Office had said that it would raise all issues with Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar during his visit to Islamabad.

Ties between New Delhi and Islamabad have remained beset by multiple disputes even though the latest breakdown in the peace dialogue was caused by ceasefire violations along the LoC and the Working Boundary.

More than a dozen civilians were killed and 50 others were injured during cross border firing at LoC and the WB in recent months.

In December 2013, 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 directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of the two countries had agreed to a number of steps to keep the ceasefire accord intact.

The meeting had taken place on the initiative of the political leadership of the two countries for ending tensions along the LoC.

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.

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

Read: Operation against terrorists affected by India: Gen Raheel