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Pak, India to open LoC to help quake victims

     Islamabad: After a marathon meeting having three different rounds of talks, Pakistan and India last evening agreed to open the Line of Control (LoC) at five points to allow two-way movement to help the victims of the devastating October 8th earthquake. "The two sides agreed to open crossings at five points across the LoC," said a joint statement published after lengthy discussions in Islamabad. In the third round of talks held between senior officials from the two sides late on Saturday night, it was decided that the LoC would be opened at Rawalakot-Poonch, Chakoti-Uri, Nauseri- Tithwal, Hajipir-Uri and Tattapani-Mendhar, to help quake victims, reported the Daily Times.

    The Indian team was headed by Joint Secretary in the MEA, Dilip Sinha, while the Pakistani side was led by the South Asia director general of the Foreign Office, Ibn-e-Abbas. According to the paper, the two sides agreed that the LoC would be opened on November 7, after which relief items could be sent in either direction and handed over to local authorities at the five crossing points, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry statement said. Crossings would also be permitted on foot, with priority given to families divided by the LoC, the paper said adding that procedures for crossing the international border would be similar to those implemented earlier this year when the historic Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service was restarted. Earlier, two rounds of talks between Pakistan and India on opening the LoC had been inconclusive, as the Indian delegation had left the talks midway after the blasts in New Delhi for consultation with its government. The Indian delegation's abrupt departure had sparked rumours in the media of the dialogue's collapse. The Indian delegation had arrived in Islamabad following President Pervez Musharraf's proposals to open the LoC at five points to facilitate quake hit divided families and carry out relief work in a coordinated manner. India had suggested opening of the LoC at three points.