Pakistan says at least eight bus passengers killed in Indian shelling

“Due to Indian unprovoked firing on a civil bus at Neelam valley this morning, number of civilians killed rises to eight,” the report quoted  Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)  as saying.

The statement said Indian forces also fired on an ambulance which went to evacuate the victims.

Some other reports put the toll at eleven.

ISPR earlier said Indian forces resorted to firing and shelling in Shahkot, Jura, Battal Karela, Bagh, Bagsar and hot spring sectors targeting civilian population.

The Indian Army, who vowed to avenge the mutilation of an Indian soldiers by the Pakistani troops,  launched a counter-attack on Wednesday.

According to NDTV reports, the army is using 120 mm heavy mortars and machine guns, NDTV reported.

The network quoted army officials as saying that India's response will be quick and they will not accept any form of mutilation.

In a repeat act by Pakistani commandos three weeks ago, an Indian soldier in Kashmir was beheaded and two others were killed close to the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Machhal sector on Tuesday.

The act prompted  the Indian Army to threaten a retribution.

The army said the body of one soldier has been mutilated.

NorthernComd.IA tweeted: "#JKOps 3 soldiers killed in action on LC in Machhal. Body of one soldier mutilated, retribution will be heavy for this cowardly act @adgpi."

According to reports, the intruders, allegedly from Pakistan, have allegedly escaped.

This  act comes just three weeks after Sepoy Mandeep Singh was beheaded not far from Tuesday's spot.

Amid mass anger in India over the Uri attack in Kashmir, India in September carried out surgical strikes crossing the Line of Control (LoC) into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting terrorist launchpads working from within the neighbouring country.