India, Pakistan offer to help each other over flood

Modi, who visited flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday,  offered assistance for relief efforts in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

"If they want and whenever they want, India will support the POK affected area on humanitarian grounds," said Modi.

"The Prime Minister also expressed his anguish at the loss that has been caused in neighbouring areas in POK," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

"In this hour of distress, the Prime Minister offered all possible assistance to the people of the region and said that the Government of India was ready to provide humanitarian assistance to those areas if the Pakistan government needs it," it siad.

On the same day, Pakistan also offered to help India fight the crisis.

A statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office said: "Responding to a question regarding floods in Indian Occupied Kashmir,the Spokesperson said that the Government and the people of Pakistan express deepest condolences over the loss of precious lives of our kashmiri brethren on both sides of the Line of Control caused by torrential rains and flash floods."

"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif carried out an aerial survey of the affected area in AJK and Pakistan and is monitoring relief and rescue operations.We also feel the pain of the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir and are ready to help in  whatever way possible to mitigate the suffering of the people affected by the floods," it said.

The Narendra Modi government in New Delhi called off talks with Pakistan scheduled in Islamabad on Aug 25 between the two foreign secretaries after Pakistan envoy invited and met the separatist leaders of Kashmir in New Delhi.

The move had hit the relationship between the two Asian nations.