Pakistan and India often exchange fire in the Himalayan region, but tensions have increased since August 5 when New Delhi canceled the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir, cut off Internet and phone services, and strictly limited the movements by the public.

Kashmir is split between the nuclear-armed neighbors and claimed by both.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement August 19 that civilian casualties occurred the previous day because of "unprovoked cease-fire violations" by India in the border villages of Hot Spring and Chirikot.

The ministry said Pakistan summoned an Indian envoy and lodged an official protest over continued cease-fire violations, which "are a threat to regional peace."

Two out of the three wars Pakistan and India have fought since independence from Britain in 1947 were over control of Kashmir.

India said it was gradually restoring phone lines and easing the lockdown. Public buses were running in rural areas, but troops restricted the movement of people on mostly deserted streets in Srinagar, the region's main city.

With reporting by AP