The two armies have been exchanging fire on the front line since Tuesday, straining the cease-fire that has largely held for nearly a decade.
Clashes flared along the 740km LoC that divides Kashmir on August 6 when five Indian soldiers were killed in the Poonch region. New Delhi blamed the attack on the Pakistan army. Islamabad denied involvement.
While tit-for-tat shelling and machine gun fire are common along the LoC the current round of fighting is one of the most intense since a cease-fire signed in 2003. It has been linked to protests in both countries and rowdy scenes in India's parliament. Under pressure from opposition politicians, the government has hinted at retaliation.
| While tit-for-tat shelling and machine gun fire are common along the LoC the current round of fighting is one of the most intense since a cease-fire signed in 2003. |
Islamabad summoned India's deputy high commissioner (ambassador) to Pakistan to register its concern over the death, the Pakistani foreign office said. It also called for strengthening military mechanisms to stop truce violations.
A spokesman for the Indian Defence Ministry offered a different version of events on the Kashmir frontier. He said Indian posts came under heavy mortar and automatic weapon fire overnight in the same area and that India "responded effectively." He said no damage or injuries were reported on the Indian side.