Amid frosty ties, Abdul Basit says issues can be resolved if India and Pakistan have will

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing tension between the two countries over ceasefire violations, Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Saturday said his country is committed to improving ties with India and that issues between both the countries could be resolved if they have the "will".

"We hope relations between the two countries will improve and if both sides have the will, then there is no reason our issues such as poverty, illiteracy and disease cannot be resolved," he said after meeting the Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid here on the occasion of Eid.

"Pakistan is always committed to improve ties to resolve the issues," he said.

Read: Pakistan freezes visas of 12 diplomats

The Pakistan High Commissioner's comments come amidst heightened tension along the border due to ceasefire violations. India has warned Pakistan of "effective and forceful" response to unprovoked firing and cross-border terrorism.

India and Pakistan are also involved in 'visa war' with both sides accusing each other of not issuing assignment visas to their diplomats and officials.

Read: India, Pakistan in blame-game over ceasefire, airspace violations

While India maintained that Pakistan has not issued visas to its 12 officials including to a Naval attache, Pakistan has said it has recently issued several assignment visas to Indian officials but none were issued by India.

Meanwhile, Pakistani troops on Saturday targeted several Indian positions in Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani Army started "unprovoked" firing on Indian positions at 9:25 last night and the firing lasted till 11:45 PM, a defence spokesman said.

Read: Pakistan asks UN body to probe ceasefire violations

"Our troops effectively retaliated to the unprovoked firing from across the border," the spokesman said. He said no loss of life or injury was reported from the Indian side when the reports last came in.

There has seen a sudden spurt of ceasefire violations from across the border this month. A woman was killed and six others, including two BSF jawans, were injured on July 15 in firing and mortar shelling in Jammu district by Pakistan Rangers.

Read: Pakistan shoots down Indian ‘spy’ drone

On July 9, Pakistani troops had fired at a forward border post in North Kashmir killing a BSF jawan. On July 5, a BSF jawan was killed in Pakistani firing along LoC in Nougam sector in Kashmir Valley.