MUZAFFARABAD, June 15 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Dozens of pro-independence activists urged Saturday India and Pakistan to withdraw their troops from Kashmir.

The demonstrators marched through the streets of Muzaffarabad to the offices of the United Nations Military Observers Group (UNMOGIP) calling for an independent Kashmir, Agence France-Presse (AFP) said.

"No to India, no to Pakistan. We want only free Kashmir," said one of their banners.

The National Students Federation protesters delivered a statement to UNMOGIP calling for a complete pullout of both Indian and Pakistani troops.

"If India and Pakistan are so fond of testing their muscles and mettle, they should shift this war to their own borders," the statement said.

"India and Pakistan should withdraw their troops from both parts of divided Kashmir and UN forces should be deployed along the Line of Control till the final and acceptable-to-all solution to long pending problems," it added.

India and Pakistan, which both have nuclear arsenals, have fought two of their three wars since 1947 over the Himalayan region, AFP said.

The two sides trade daily artillery fire over the Kashmir's heavily fortified border.

Tension between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan has increased since the attack on the Indian parliament in December, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

Since then, a million soldiers have been deployed by both sides along their common borders and India and Pakistan have come dangerously close to what would be their third war over the Himalayan region.