India has agreed to allow Pakistani relief helicopters to fly along the cease-fire line

India has agreed to allow Pakistani relief helicopters to fly to earthquake-devastated villages along the cease-fire line that divides Kashmir between the two nations, the Indian foreign ministry said.

"We received a request from Pakistan on Oct. 13 to fly helicopters in the peace-time no-fly zone. We are conveying our agreement today to this request provided permission is taken on a cases by case basis," the ministry said in a statement issued late Saturday.

Pakistan would provide advance information of any helicopter flights to the dozens of devastated villages close to the cease-fire line to prevent misunderstanding, said an Indian official, who didn't want to be named because he was not authorized to speak to media.

The no-fly zone stretches up to 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) on both sides of the Line of Control that has divided Kashmir between India and Pakistan since 1948, reported AP.

P.T.