Seven Pakistani soldiers killed by Indian shelling

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 neighbours 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.

An Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.

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.