– Don't blame us for delay in relief across border: Indian PM

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday that India was not to blame for the delay in affording relief to Pakistani earthquake victims from across the Line of Control (LoC) in earthquake-devastated Kashmir.

His comments came hours after Pakistani soldiers objected to the construction of a footbridge by Indian troops across the LoC to allow Pakistani quake victims to cross into Kashmir.

“The delay is not on our side,” Singh told reporters in New Delhi, when asked to comment on bilateral plans to open the LoC at pre-selected points to help out the tens of thousands of quake victims.

India on Saturday said that it would open three points on the LoC by Tuesday, while Pakistan suggested five such cross-border relief centres.

The two sides have agreed to meet on Friday in Islamabad to thrash out the modalities of cross-border relief to survivors facing death in the looming Himalayan winter.