Indian army Colonel J. Nair and Pakistani army Lt. Colonel Shahid shook hands in the middle of a foot bridge over the fast-flowing Kishen Ganga River to the applause of onlookers from both sides.

The move to open the Line of Control -- the de facto border that divides Kashmir -- came as aid agencies race to provide relief supplies to tens of thousands of survivors of last month's deadly quake.

The nuclear-armed rivals opened the first crossing along the ceasefire line earlier this week in southern Poonch district, followed by another in the northern Uri sector.

Two more openings are slated for next week.

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