Killer quake bridges Kashmir divide

French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Philippe Douste-Blazy (L) talks with Pakistani administered Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Sikander Hayat during a visit to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administrated Kashmir yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Two dozen men and women from Indian Kashmir created history on Saturday when they became the first in nearly 60 years to be allowed to cross over a new bridge on foot to the Pakistani side to learn the fate of relatives and mourn the dead.

Despite the tragedy, the travellers and their relatives said they were delighted about the unprecedented opportunity.

"The earthquake was the wrath of God. But for many of us, it is a blessing in disguise," Nadir Shah, a retired government employee, said in Teetwal, the last village on the Indian side of the heavily militarised frontier.

"For decades, it was just impossible to cross over this stream and meet your brother across," he said, pointing at a narrow bridge of steel wire and wood built over the shimmering Kishanganga river and opened to people on Saturday.

The river marks the military ceasefire line between India and Pakistan, both of whom claim the Himalayan region in full but rule it in parts.

"Finally Kashmiris are walking across, but unfortunately at a very high cost," said Shah, a Teetwal resident who plans to travel to Pakistani Kashmir next week to meet relatives.

The Oct. 8 quake killed more than 73,000 people in Pakistani Kashmir and elsewhere across Pakistan. About 1,300 people were killed in Indian Kashmir.

India and Pakistan, who have been at loggerheads over Kashmir for more than half a century and have fought two wars over it, agreed two weeks ago to allow cross-border movement of aid and meetings of divided families as a humanitarian gesture.