Pakistan: Indian firing kills 11, injuring 31 this year

Pakistani parliament was informed on Friday that 11 Pakistanis, including eight soldiers, have been killed this year as the result of Indian unprovoked firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region. Speaking at the National Assembly, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, said that 31 more people, including army troops, were also injured in firing since January. The statement came amid escalations along the LoC that has caused diplomatic tension between the nuclear South Asian neighbors. Both countries accuse each other of violating the ceasefire they had declared in 2003. Guns had been relatively silence since then. However, both countries started exchanges of firing in January this year. India also says that Pakistani troops have killed several Indian soldiers. Both countries have fought three wars, two over Kashmir since their independence from the British colonial rule in 1947. Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan wants mediation on the Kashmir issue and wants to resolve it through talks.