Kashmir separatist group holds special prayers for 2005 earthquake victims

A separatist group in Jammu and Kashmir held a special prayer service for those killed in an earthquake that hit parts of Kashmir in October 2005.

Srinagar, Oct 8 : A separatist group in Jammu and Kashmir held a special prayer service for those killed in an earthquake that hit parts of Kashmir in October 2005.

The prayer service was held by the Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement, led by Zaffar Akbar Bhatt.

"This prayer service is for those, who died or were displaced due to the earthquake. Thousands of people were displaced on both the sides (India and Pakistan)," said Zaffar.

Zaffar said that both India and Pakistan needed to open all the routes so that divided families could be reunited.

"Kashmiris are the same on both sides and they can anytime erase the Line of Control or the border," said Zaffar.

A major earthquake that hit the mountainous region near India-Pakistan border in October 2005 had razed to ground the Uri region of Kashmir.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.6, was centered about 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad, near the mountainous and heavily militarised border separating Indian and Pakistani Kashmir.

Uri and its nearby areas accounted for about half the deaths.

ANI