Pak China Monitoring Desk
BEIJING : China has urged India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint” as the two countries reportedly exchanged fire at the Line of Control (LoC) for a fourth night in a row in the wake of a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
The April 22 attack killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and was one of the deadliest armed attacks in the disputed Himalayan region since 2000. Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front, said it “unequivocally” denied involvement in the attack, after an initial message that claimed responsibility.
India, without offering any evidence, has implied cross-border linkages of the attackers, while Pakistan has strongly denied any involvement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a neutral probe into the incident.
“China hopes that the two sides will exercise restraint, meet each other halfway, properly handle relevant differences through dialogue and consultation and jointly maintain regional peace and stability,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.
“China welcomes all measures that will help cool down the situation,” Jiakun told a regular press briefing.
The statement came after Pakistan and India reportedly exchanged gunfire for a fourth night in a row across the LoC, after four years of relative calm.
“During the night of April 27-28… Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small arms fire across the Line of Control”, the Indian army claimed in a statement.
