ISLAMABAD: A military official on Tuesday dismissed as propaganda the Indian claims of ceasefire violation by Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC) and having foiled an infiltration bid.

“There was no activity on the LoC today. Indian claims are absolutely baseless,” the official said while responding to a question by Dawn.

Pakistani officials say Indians want to distract the world from the situation in held Kashmir by indulging in such tactics.

The Indian army had earlier claimed to have thwarted an infiltration bid by militants from Pakistan in Baramullah district’s Lachipura region in held Kashmir. It was said that up to 10 militants were killed after being intercepted.

“A group of 10-12 terrorists attempted to infiltrate the Uri sector. They were intercepted and the infiltration bid was foiled,” an Indian military spokesman had said.

The place where India claims to have foiled the attempt is close to the area where militants attacked a military camp on Sunday, killing 18 Indian soldiers. The attack was allegedly carried out by four Jaish-e-Mohammad militants, who are claimed to have come from across the LoC.

Pakistani officials rejected Indian claims and shared with media India’s three-tier counter-infiltration arrangement on the LoC. They say there was very little possibility of militants crossing over.

“No infiltration is allowed from Pakistani soil. There are watertight arrangements in place all along on both sides of LoC and Working Boundary,” DG Military Operations Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza had told his Indian counterpart soon after the Uri military camp incident.

On Tuesday, the Indian army further accused Pakistani troops of violating ceasefire in Lacchipora and Mahiyan Boniyar areas on the LoC. “Small exchange of fire took place,” Indian media quoted a military official as saying.

Indians claim that Pakistani troops resorted to ceasefire violation to provide cover to the infiltration attempt.

Rejecting Indian allegations of ceasefire violations, a Pakistani official claimed that it was instead India which engaged in such violations. “Indian pattern of ceasefire violation of 2014 and 2015 reveals that just before the UNGA session and till the end of September they have been resorting to maximum violations,” he said.

Published in Dawn September 21st, 2016