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| November 7, 2005 | Monday | Shawwal 4, 1426 |
India and Pakistan open LoC for quake aid ON THE LINE OF CONTROL, Nov 7 (AFP) Pakistan and India opened the Line Of Control(LoC) for earthquake relief on Monday, raising hopes of a lasting settlement of their corrosive decades-old dispute over the territory. Army commanders and government officials from the two sides met at LoC and shook hands before declaring the crossing point open. Indian and Pakistani porters then began unloading the trucks and handed the supplies to each other on the Pakistani side, the first time ever that a shipment of relief had crossed the heavily militarised frontier. Indian officials said they were sending 25 truckloads of relief to the Pakistani side. White tape had earlier been laid along the LoC at the crossing, Titrinote on the Pakistani side and Chakandabagh in the Indian zone, and both sides had laid out red carpets. A sign on the Indian side read, "We have not opened the LoC, we have opened hearts." Kashmiris themselves were not allowed to cross the frontier as originally hoped but B.R. Sharma, divisional commissioner for the Jammu district of Occupied Kashmir, said that civilians may be able to cross by November 14. At least two more crossing points along the frontier were due to open within the next week. (First Posted @ 11:30 Updated @ 14:25 PST)
Pakistani police shoot in air, fire tear gas at angry Kashmiris ON THE LINE OF CONTROL, Nov 7 (AFP) Pakistani police shot in the air and fired tear gas on Monday to disperse hundreds of angry Kashmiris who surged towards the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC). A large crowd of villagers had gathered to watch a ceremony in which Indian and Pakistani troops formally opened the LoC to allow earthquake relief goods to cross between the two sides. The crowd grew restless as it became clear that only relief goods and not people would be allowed to cross, and many started chanting slogans demanding freedom for Kashmiris. As volleys of gunfire rang out, the crowd retreated. Earlier, two men and two children who tried to run across the LoC were tackled by police and bundled into a van. "They are shouting because they want a free Kashmir. They want all parts of the region to be independent, including Azad (Pakistani) Kashmir and Indian-occupied Kashmir," Nazar Kat, a villager from nearby Titrinote said. (First Posted @ 12:55 Updated @ 14:26 PST)
Kashmiris be allowed to cross over LoC without hindrance: FO ISLAMABAD, Nov.7 (APP): Pakistan Monday said it would make all efforts to facilitate Kashmiri people living on either side of the Line of Control (LoC) to meet and help each other in relief assistance in the quake-hit areas. "Kashmiris should be allowed to cross over the LoC without hindrance and cumbersome procedure," Foreign Office spokesperson, Tasneem Aslam told a weekly press briefing. "There is no hindrances from Pakistan," she said .Ms. Aslam said Pakistan had originally proposed to allow all Kashmiris who have any valid identity or certificate from the authorities to cross but India did not agree to it and finally it was decided to adopt the procedure as followed for Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service. The spokesperson said the Indian authorities said they would open two more points on November 9 and 10 and would convey opening of the remaining two points when they were ready. When asked why no one crossed over the point on the opening day, she said people did not understand that they would need papers to cross over, as they just gathered at the LoC to walk across without required application form and clearance. Responding to a query, the spokesperson said according to the understanding the five point openings were meant for Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC and not for nationals of Pakistan and India. Similarly, she said there was no agreement to allow trucks to cross over. She clarified that even those who have availed the bus service, will have to go through formalities again if they wish to undertake travel to the other side. (Posted @ 19:50 PST)
Kashmiri frustration wells up over crossing delay TITRINOTE, Pakistan, Nov 7 (Reuters) Years of frustration over rule by Pakistan and India welled up among Kashmir's earthquake survivors on Monday when they were denied the opportunity to cross the military line dividing the region. "We want foreign forces out of Kashmir, both Indian and Pakistani," Sikander Ali Qamar, an activist with the Jammu and Kashmir National Student Federation, said at the scene. "We want the LoC opened permanently, with no permits or identity cards because Kashmiris want to be one nation," he added. "We want one country and that's Kashmir," said Mohammad Ikram Khan a former councillor in the town of Hijara. "We want people to go there every day," said Khushnood Ahmed, a villager who holds onto a notion of fraternity with Pakistan, particularly after the effort it had put in to quake relief. "Our heartbeat is with Pakistan. This Pakistani nation has been our brother, and in this crisis they have helped us very much." (Posted @ 20:25 PST)
Widespread rains, snow predicted in quake-hit areas ISLAMABAD, Nov 7 (APP): Met office on Monday warned that a strong westerly wave was likely to grip Pakistan on Wednesday evening and may prevail over the earthquake affected areas for five days. Due to this weather, widespread rain and thunderstorm with snow over high mountains was expected in all earthquake affected areas, including Muzaffarabad, Rawlakot, Bagh, Chikothi, Abbottabad, Balakot, Mansehra, Batgram, Kohistan, Shangla, Kaghan, Naran and adjoining areas. The widespread and intermittent rains may also cause landslides. Meanwhile, isolated light rain with snow over the mountains above 9,000 feet was expected in earthquake affected areas during the next 24 hours. (Posted @ 19:50 PST)
Pakistan seeks assistance from IFRC in artificial limb technology ISLAMABAD, Nov 7 (APP): Pakistan Monday sought assistance from the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent Societies in artificial limbs technology for thousands of injured who had to undergo amputations after the Oct 8 earthquake. Foreign Minister Khurshid M.Kasuri in a meeting with Markku Dapani Niskala, Secretary General of the IFRC asked him to share his organisation’s expertise in helping build Pakistan's capacity in prosthesis. The IFRC is planning to launch an appeal for additional funds for Relief and Reconstruction, Niskala told Foreign Minister Kasuri. (Posted @ 18:05 PST)
UN needs 42 million dollars immediately for Pakistani quake GENEVA, Nov 7 (AFP) The United Nations said Monday that aid agencies needed 42.4 million dollars immediately to help several hundred thousand Pakistani quake victims this month. A spokeswoman for the UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA), Elisabeth Byrs, said the amount, which was presented at a regular meeting with diplomats from donor nations, was "a minimum requirement for 30 days". The amount was aimed primarily at helping an estimated 200,000 people living in quake stricken high ground in Azad Kashmir, which was likely to be the first to suffer from the onset of winter, Byrs said. Another 150,000 earthquake victims also need to be housed in camps. Although enough tents were in the pipeline for this month, according to the UN document given to the donors, United Nations warehouses with emergency relief stocks were now empty. "That means all the reserves have been used up. What happens if there is another disaster?" Byrs said. UN agencies had used another 25.6 million dollars to keep going through November in Pakistan, mainly from commercial loans, she added. (Posted @ 17:05 PST)
India says incursions continue despite earthquake SRINAGAR, Nov 7 (AFP) India said Monday attacks by militants have continued unabated since the devastating earthquake last month that killed tens of thousands in the divided state. In a statement issued in Srinagar, the army said it had foiled some 39 attempts this year by militants to cross the Line of Control (LoC). "All these (infiltration) attempts were foiled, resulting in the elimination of 147 militants along the LoC," it said. However, no infiltrations had occurred near the crossing point along the LoC that India and Pakistan opened Monday, nor other points to be opened later this week. Meanwhile Indian troops killed two alleged militants in Anantnag and northern Kupwara district overnight, police added. (Posted @ 16:30 PST)
Chinese experts on earthquake arrives to study aftershocks ISLAMABAD, Nov 7 (APP): A seven-member delegation of Chinese experts arrived here on Monday for the study of devastated earthquake that rocked parts of NWFP and Azad Kashmir on October 8. A spokesman of Meteorological Department said the delegation included geophysicists and seismologists. The purpose of Chinese experts visit is to conduct observation and study of the earthquake, aftershocks and allocation survey with the help of Pakistani experts till November 21. (Posted @ 15:05 PST)
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