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Pakistan, India Prepare for Kashmir Border Opening as New Jolt Shakes Region


Pakistan says it is ready to open five crossing points on the de-facto border with India in quake-stricken Kashmir, but India says only one of the five will open Monday.

A Pakistani Foreign Ministry official said Sunday the army has set up relief centers at all five locations along the Line of Control.

But India says it is ready to open only the crossing point at Chakan da Bagh Monday, followed by another on Wednesday and a third on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Pakistani and Indian officials say it is unlikely that civilians will be initially allowed to cross the Line of Control because the two sides have failed to exchange lists of people approved for the crossings.

Also Sunday, a 6.0 magnitude aftershock jolted Pakistani Kashmir, the strongest of nearly 1,200 aftershocks recorded since a 7.6 magnitude quake devastated the region on October 8 and killed more than 73,000 people.

Sunday's temblor in northwestern Pakistan unleashed at least one landslide near the city of Balakot.

With snow and winter cold bearing down on the mountains of Kashmir, aid agencies say three million homeless earthquake survivors are at risk.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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