NEW DELHI, Oct 22: India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to open at least three sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) for aid to reach the victims of the October 8 earthquake in divided Jammu and Kashmir, it was officially announced.

An Indian foreign ministry spokesman said Pakistan had given New Delhi a proposal for five crossing points along the LoC to facilitate relief and rehabilitation work in the quake-hit areas.

“We will be examining these proposals carefully and expeditiously…… The proposals made by Pakistan can be reconciled with those that we had already made,” the spokesman said.

He said as recommended by Pakistan, ‘we are ready to engage in discussions between our two foreign offices on the modalities and reach an early decision.’

In the meantime, he said, ‘we are prepared to consider dispatch of relief material and supplies to the quake-affected areas through the three points we have designated and which match some of the points that Pakistan has indicated. We will discuss these arrangements with Pakistan as well.”

Press Trust of India, reporting from Islamabad, quoted a Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson as saying Islamabad had formally forwarded its proposal to India to open points along the LOC.

Pakistan has received India’s proposal to hold relief camps along the LoC to enable quake victims on both sides to meet each other.

Pakistan’s announcement came after the Indian government said it planned to set up by October 25 three centres on its side of the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

The three points are Kaman near Aman Setu in Uri, Tithwal in Tangdhar and Chakan Da Bagh in Poonch.

The issue was apparently discussed by India with a US State Department delegation led by Undersecretary Nick Burns and it appears to have been encouraged by the Americans, diplomats said.

The three points proposed by India are among the five suggested by it earlier to enable divided families to meet, the other two points being Suchetgarh and Rajouri on its side.

“The points have been chosen because of their proximity to the worst-hit areas,” the Indian spokesman said.

People from Azad Kashmir can come across during daylight hours to receive aid and relief and also meet relatives in the areas, Indian news reports said.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had said some of the worst-affected places in Azad Kashmir were easily accessible from that (Indian) side of the LoC.

“The terrain on the Pakistani side is difficult and inaccessible and there are more problems. We were able to reach the areas of Chanderkot and Tithwal. There is more pain and suffering on the other side of the LoC. We can fix up some places,” said Mufti Sayeed.