ISLAMABAD/SRINAGAR, India Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed by Indian shelling across the frontier in the disputed Kashmir region overnight, Pakistan's military said on Monday, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors simmer.

Pakistan's military media wing, ISPR, said in a statement the seven soldiers were killed in the Bhimber sector on the "Line of Control" de facto border in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

A spokesman for India's army said its soldiers had responded to Pakistani firing on Sunday night.

"There was a brief ceasefire violation initiated by Pakistani in Noushera sector which was effectively retaliated last night," the spokesman told Reuters, declining to comment on any Indian casualties.

He also said there was ongoing firing between the two countries' forces on Monday along another part of the frontier.

Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained for several months, while cross-frontier shelling has intensified in recent weeks leading to deaths of civilians and soldiers stationed along the disputed frontier.

Tensions have been fraught since July when India-administered Kashmir was rocked by street protests after the killing of a militant leader there.

Islamabad launched an international campaign to highlight alleged rights abuses by Indian security forces in Kashmir, while New Delhi blamed Pakistan for fanning the unrest.

New Delhi also blamed Pakistan-based militants for a deadly attack on an Indian army base in the region in September, a charge Islamabad rejected.

Several days later, India said it had carried out "surgical strikes" on militant bases across the border. Pakistan dismissed the claim as "an illusion".

Kashmir lies at the heart of the tension between India and Pakistan and the countries have fought two of their three wars over the region since partition and independence from Britain in 1947.

(Reporting by Drazen Jorgic and Fayaz Bukhari; Additional reporting by Tommy Wilkes in NEW DELHI; Editing by Nick Macfie)</s>India counters it saying that it was Pakistan which resorted to firing that was effectively retaliated.

Tensions between Indian and Pakistan escalated on Monday with Pakistan claiming that seven of its soldiers were killed in cross-border firing by the Indian Army along the Line of Control (LoC). India countered it saying that it was Pakistan which resorted to firing that was effectively retaliated.

This is a departure from the past trend when Pakistan has been quiet on casualties despite Indian claims of “inflicting heavy damage.”

“Seven soldiers embraced shahadat at LoC in Bhimber sector in cross fire LOC violation by Indian troops late last night. Pakistani troops while responding to Indian unprovoked firing targeted Indian posts effectively,” the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan claimed in a post on Facebook. More details to follow, it added.

Indian Army sources said that there was ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Naushera sector on Sunday night and they had responded appropriately. They denied any loss on Indian side as claimed by some reports from Pakistan and said they cannot confirm casualties on the Pakistani side.

“We cannot comment on Pakistani claims on casualties their side. They could be lower or even higher,” on officer said.

This marks a new level of escalation in the ongoing ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Boundary (IB) between the two countries since the surgical strikes by the Indian Army in September.

Over 130 incidents of ceasefire violations have been reported on the LoC and over 180 violations on the IB since the surgical strikes. So far 13 security personnel were killed on the Indian side including 10 Army soldiers along the LoC and three jawans of the Border Security Force at the IB.

M Nafees Zakaria, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said in a tweet, “We strongly condemn continuous unprovoked #CFVbyIndia in Bhimber Sector, resulting in martyrdom of seven Pakistani soldiers.”

Pakistan Army responding in befitting manner, he said in another tweet and added, “We salute our valiant soldiers who render ultimate sacrifices for national cause.”

To protest the incident, Pakistan Foreign office has summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, media reports in Pakistan reported that several Indian soldiers were killed in retaliatory fire by Pakistan.

Tribune of Pakistan stated that “five Indian soldiers have been confirmed to have been shot and four Indian posts destroyed at Bhimber sector” quoting sources in the military.

The Army sources dismissed the reports as incorrect.

“We don’t hide our casualties. If there is something it will come out,” one officer along the LoC said.

Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on Monday ordered troops to “effectively” respond to firing by India across the LoC after the death of seven Pakistani soldiers. The army chief was in Jhelum near Rawalpindi to attend the funeral prayers of the dead soldiers, according to an army spokesman. He was given a briefing by the senior commanders about the latest situation on the LoC.

General Raheel said on the occasion that the army “will continue to respond effectively” and it ordered that it should “leave no stone unturned to defend motherland“. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan responded effectively to the Indian fire and “it would have surly killed Indian troops.” He claimed that India was hiding its losses on the LoC.</s>India countered it saying that it was Pakistan which resorted to firing which was effectively retaliated.

Tensions between Indian and Pakistan escalated on Monday as Pakistan claiming that seven of its soldiers were killed in cross border firing by the Indian Army along the Line of Control (LoC). India countered it saying that it was Pakistan which resorted to firing which was effectively retaliated.

This is a departure from the past trend when Pakistan has been quiet on casualties despite Indian claims of “inflicting heavy damage.”

“Seven soldiers embraced shahadat at LoC in Bhimber sector in cross fire LOC violation by Indian troops late last night. Pakistani troops while responding to Indian unprovoked firing targeted Indian posts effectively,” the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan claimed in a post on social media site Facebook. More details to follow, it added.

Indian Army sources said that there was ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Naushera sector on Sunday night and they had responded appropriately. They denied any loss on Indian side as claimed by some reports from Pakistan and said they cannot confirm casualties on the Pakistani side.

“We cannot comment on Pakistani claims on casualties their side. They could be lower or even higher,” on officer said.

This marks a new level of escalation in the ongoing ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Boundary (IB) between the two countries since the surgical strikes by the Indian Army in September.

Over 130 incidents of ceasefire violations have been reported on the LoC and over 180 violations on the IB since the surgical strikes. So far 13 security personnel were killed on the Indian side including 10 Army soldiers along the LoC and three jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) at the IB.

M Nafees Zakaria, Pakistan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said in a tweet, “We strongly condemn continuous unprovoked #CFVbyIndia in Bhimber Sector, resulting in martyrdom of seven Pakistani soldiers.”

Pakistan Army responding in befitting manner, he said in another tweet and added, “We salute our valiant soldiers who render ultimate sacrifices for national cause.”

To protest the incident, Pakistan Foreign office has summoned the Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, media reports in Pakistan reported that several Indian soldiers were killed in retaliatory fire by Pakistan.

Tribune of Pakistan stated that “five Indian soldiers have been confirmed to have been shot and four Indian posts destroyed at Bhimber sector” quoting sources in the military. Army sources dismissed the reports as incorrect.

“We don’t hide our casualties. If there is something it will come out,” one officer along the LoC said.
Pakistan Army's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reports seven Pakistani soldiers have been killed by Indian cross-border shelling in Bhimber District, Azad Kashmir.