Three Pakistani soldiers were killed in cross-border firing across the Line of Control on Monday, Inter-Services Public Relations said. In a statement, ISPR blamed India for the incident that took place in Thoob sector of Bhimber district.

ISPR went on to add that Indian forces had been inflicting violence and claimed there has been a rise in cross-border firings, reported Dawn. According to the Pakistan Army, India has violated the ceasefire at least 178 times along the LoC and the international border last year. They also alleged that the firings resulted in the deaths of 19 civilians, while 80 others were injured, reported IANS.

On November 14, Islamabad had alleged that Indian troops had violated the ceasefire and killed seven of its soldiers along the LoC in Kashmir’s Bhimber sector the previous night. The Pakistani government had summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to lodge a formal complaint. That was the first time that Pakistan had admitted to casualties on its side.

In September, the country had rebuffed claims of the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army along the LoC as “cross-border firing”. In October, too, Islamabad had denied claims by the Indian Border Security Force that it had killed seven Pakistani Rangers. Reports of ceasefire violations by Pakistan have increased since the surgical strikes were conducted on September 29 last year.