India extends Kashmir ceasefire

The Indian government has again extended its unilateral ceasefire in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, despite continuing separatist violence.

The decision was taken after leaders of the main Indian political parties gave their support to the proposal.

A key Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba has rejected the latest extension, saying India was trying to mislead the world and accusing it of increasing its paramilitary forces in the state.

India first announced its ceasefire last November.

A BBC South Asia analyst says it has had the benefit of significantly reducing cross-border artillery exchanges between the armies of India and Pakistan.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service