Islamabad, Aug 12 (IANS): Pakistani soldiers, with heavy artillery, have been purportedly seen moving through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir towards the Line of Control (LoC) since Saturday night, Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir said on Sunday.

Mir, in a tweet, said that he had heard from people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir about the troop movements and the "enthusiastic" welcome given to them by the locals.

"Received calls from highly motivated Kashmiri friends belonging to different areas of AJK they informed that Pakistan Army troops with heavy Artillery moving to LoC since last night locals welcoming troops by waving Pakistani flags and raising slogans 'Kashmir baney ga Pakistan'," he tweeted.

Pakistan has been protesting India's move to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special constitutional status and divide it into two Union territories. It has sought to get international support against the Indian action, as well as taking a number of steps, including downgrading diplomatic ties and sending back the Indian envoy, stopping bilateral trade and transport links and banning Indian films and "all cultural content".