ISLAMABAD (TIP): Pakistan on August 14 claimed a civilian was killed and his daughter injured due to “unprovoked” firing by Indian troops across the LoC. A senior military official, who did not want to be named, said the latest death occurred in Khairni Rakkar village of Rawalakot district in Battal sector of the Line of Control (LoC). “Sakhi Muhammad, 60, was killed and his daughter Nabeela was seriously injured due to unprovoked shelling last night,” the official said.

This was the second civilian death reported from the Pakistani side of the LoC. A youth died when a mortar shell hit his house in another village of the same district on Monday. The latest death coincided with UN chief Ban Kimoon’s two-day visit to Pakistan. Ban has avoided direct comment on the border skirmishes between the two sides but said yesterday that nations should settle their disputes.

He also called for “reaching out and building bridges with one’s neighbours”. Relations between India and Pakistan soured last week after the killing of five Indian soldiers in an attack on the LoC. The government said “specialist troops” of the Pakistan Army were involved in the attack.