ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (PTI) — India today rejected a formal protest by Pakistan that New Delhi had opened "unprovoked firing" across the Line of Control in the last three days, sources here said.

Indian Deputy High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal dismissed the protest and said his country's troops had responded in self-defence.

He was summoned to the Foreign Office by Additional Foreign Secretary Riaz Ahmed Khan and conveyed Pakistan's protest.

Earlier, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Abdul Majid Malik claimed the firing from the Indian side along the Line of Control intensified today, and added 43 civilians had been killed since Thursday.

At least 75 people were injured in different Pakistani border towns as Indian troops "fired 13,000 shells and used all kinds of arms", Mr Malik claimed at a hurriedly-convened press conference here.

Mr Malik said Directors General Military Operations of the two countries had talked over the hot line but had not achieved any result. He asked the United Nations Secretary-General to increase reinforcements along the LoC" to check the Indian firing.

Mr Malik said tension had increased along the border but ruled out incursion. He accused India of adopting a "dual policy" as "on one hand it calls for dialogue but on the other it has initiated hot conflict in Kashmir".

He claimed Indian troops had intensified firing after the Kashmir dispute was highlighted at the international level in the wake of nuclear tests.

"Escalation in firing is the result of frustration on the part of Indian leadership over this development," he claimed.

He alleged the firing was a "move to undermine the little chance of success" of talks between the Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers and Foreign Secretaries, and said Pakistan would raise the issue at "all" fora.

The Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir Chaudhry Sarwar, who was also present at the press conference, alleged Indian troops had intruded into Pakistani territory in Sialkot three days ago.