Pakistani authorities announced a crackdown on Wednesday against Hafiz Saeed, leader of the group blamed for deadly attacks on Mumbai in 2008, amid growing international pressure to act against militant groups.

Under pressure from the United States and a global watchdog group, Pakistan is prosecuting the founder of the Islamist terrorist group that carried out the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks on charges of terrorism financing, along with several of his close aides.

At least five Pakistani soldiers have been killed after an explosion near the de facto border with India in the disputed region of Kashmir, Pakistan’s military said, terming it “state-sponsored terrorism” by its eastern neighbour.

Heavy firing exchanges were reported on Friday between Indian and Pakistani forces on the so-called Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region, local media reported.

Amid growing needs to modernise the armed forces, the Indian government has kept the defence budget at the level announced during the interim budget in February.