The earthquake struck with a ferocity not witnessed in a hundred years. A 7.6 intensity on the Richter Scale forebodes disaster anywhere, but is possibly the worst when it strikes in the high Himalayas and when the winter is lurking around the corner. Mountain roads and tracks are easily destroyed, isolating secluded communities. For those already weakened by injuries and lack of sustenance, the coming winter can come as death itself. Mountaintops are already experiencing the first snowfall and the valleys are receiving their initial morning frost.

In spite of the best will and resources, aid will not reach some of the worst affected for days, even weeks. Alas, at the time of writing this article, hopes of finding more survivors have vanished. For the living, the coming months could be more traumatic. Coping with disaster in the face of personal loss and countering an intensely cold winter is a challenge even the most courageous will find daunting. These conditions are not restricted within artificial borders.

As Allah willed it, the epicentre of the quake was in PoK, close to the Line of Control (LoC). The damage seems to be immensely more on the 'other' side, perhaps to a scale of one is to ten. The LoC has a logic of its own; it cuts through hills, sometimes making access to the forward areas more difficult from one's own side. Yet, the 'other' cannot cross this imaginary line to provide help and succour. The coming months and indeed this winter will pose a severe challenge to the hundreds of thousands who inhabit this area. For the injured, the old and the young, survival will be a severe test.

The world has come to Pakistan's help, substantially and in time. India too pitched in and willingly gave up on international assistance so that more could go to its neighbour. Yet, for timely and more effective help both sides need more. Reconstructing villages and rebuilding shelters is now a race against time. As President Musharraf stated, it will take massive effort to build essential habitats and provide the bare minimum support infrastructure to save lives.

The time has come to set aside present troubles and come together for humanity's cause. Can both countries find the courage? The case is compelling and the cause brooks no delay.

Two rounds of dialogue between India and Pakistan have perhaps not shown expected results, but have at least demonstrated good faith. There is better understanding of each other's positions and indeed a determination to push forward steadily; a good basis surely on which to set aside current concerns and open up to each other in this compelling joint endeavour for the cause of humanity.

What are the compelling factors? The Kishanganga or the Neelam Valley in the north of Kashmir provides a good example. The area is easily accessible from the Indian side than from PoK. Indian sappers can construct temporary bridges across it and support can provided to the people on the other side. In the Tithwal Valley, the boot is on the other foot, with access from PoK being easier once the road from Muzaffarabad opens up. The Nastachun Pass linking Tithwal to Kupwara and Srinagar may close in just a few weeks, cutting off the region for the entire winter. The lovely Gurez Valley in the north and east too will be cut off for six months from Srinagar fairly soon. The advantages of cross-LoC assistance are enormous and compelling; what may be the concerns?

A local peace and an internal ceasefire needs to reinforce the already existing ceasefire on the LoC. Both sides must demonstrate that neither side will take advantage of the present situation. No terrorist element should infiltrate in the guise of providing assistance. The Indian side must also desist from obtaining 'intelligence' and resist the temptation to score points through aid. A local joint coordinating arrangement mechanism will be needed and can be set-up easily.

Fortuitously, large groups of able-bodied men are already available in the region. Soldiers of both sides deployed along the line and at the precise time of the quake were busy with stocking their posts for the winter. They too have lost valuable lives. Their bunkers have been destroyed and their habitat for the winter will require heavy maintenance. A truce for the winter is necessary so that this enormous resource can be devoted to reconstruction, not confrontation. Can this be done?

The Christmas Truce of 1917 along the trenches of World War I in Flanders is one such example. For the duration of that brief time, guns fell eerily silent and troops embraced each other across a murderous obstacle system that had claimed thousands of lives and would do so yet again. Can we dream of a similar miracle with more lasting benefits? Robert Frost wrote, "Stone walls make good neighbours". Sometimes, the opposite may be true.