Indian Kashmiris make first direct calls to Pakistan in 15 years

India announced Tuesday night it would lift restrictions on telephone links to the Pakistani zone of Kashmir which were imposed to deter an insurgency that began in 1989.

The first call was placed by Abdul Gani, 65, from the police control room in Indian Kashmir's summer capital of Srinagar to Muzaffarabad, capital of the Pakistani zone, police and witnesses said.

"I was very happy to know that my relatives are OK," Gani told reporters after the call. He also thanked the Indian prime minister for allowing the service.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened personally to restore phone links after repeated demands from across the social spectrum in Indian Kashmir where divided families were frantic for news of relatives after the 7.6-magnitude quake hit October 8.

The state-run Department of Telecommunications has set up four telephone centres -- two in the worst-hit districts of Uri and Tangdar, officials said.