India-Pakistan effort on quake relief falters

MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan — India on Saturday sharply curtailed plans to open its Kashmir frontier with Pakistan early this week to aid earthquake survivors — a setback for the disaster diplomacy that has brought the nuclear-armed rivals closer in a time of need.

After the Oct. 8 quake killed about 80,000 people in Pakistan and the divided territory of Kashmir, India and Pakistan reached a breakthrough deal to open five border crossings starting Monday.

But India said Saturday that only one crossing would be ready — a blow for survivors eager to cross over to check on relatives, exchange provisions and seek help at relief camps being set up along the heavily militarized frontier.

Lt. Col. V. K. Batra, an Indian army spokesman, said that two crossings were not ready because of the threat of land mines and landslides on the Indian side. But he also blamed Pakistan for delays in clearing another two routes, saying its work on bridges at the crossings was incomplete.

Pakistani officials, however, said their side was ready to open the crossings.

The Indian Foreign Ministry said two of the crossings may be opened by the middle of next week.

In Muzaffarabad, capital of the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir, Deputy Police Chief Ata Ullah said diplomats from both countries had been scheduled to meet Saturday to exchange a list of names of people intending to cross over — but the meeting was canceled. He did not explain why.

Ullah said the cancellation raised doubt about whether any crossings would take place Monday, even at the post India said was ready.

Kashmir was split between India and Pakistan after the bloody partition of the subcontinent following independence from Britain in 1947. Both countries claim Kashmir in a dispute that has sparked two wars and separated families for more than 50 years.

The two sides began a peace process last year, and last month's frontier agreement helped strengthen the warming of ties.