ISLAMABAD, Oct. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Pakistani and Indian officials agreed here on early Sunday to open the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the two countries in the disputed Kashmir to help victims of the deadly earthquake on Oct. 8 that killed more than 55,000 people.

    Foreign ministry officials from both countries, after talks that lasted for more than ten hours, announced in a joint statement that they have agreed to open five crossing points across the LoC in the dividing Kashmir to facilitate relief and rehabilitation work.

    According to the deal, the crossing points will be opened from November 7 and people will be allowed to proceed on foot, with the priority "accorded to members of divided families" along the border.

    India sent a six-member delegation to Islamabad Friday after Pakistan called for opening the militarized border to help quake survivors.

    Pakistan had formerly proposed five points on the LoC for Kashmiris to meet and help each other while India said it would only establish three camps at its side of the LoC which would be operational with Pakistan's consent.

    The agreement came after officials managed to close the gap on the duration of the opening between their respective proposals by refraining from specifying a clear closing date.

    The Pakistani central government updated on Friday the overall death toll of the 7.6-magnitude earthquake to 55,000. But local governments of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir and North West Frontier Province have given figures showing death toll of over 81,000.

    The Indian-controlled part of the Himalayan region suffered a loss of 1,400 lives.

    Authorities of both countries and international rescuers are racing against time to provide hundreds of thousands homeless people with enough food and shelter to cope with the approaching winter. Enditem