Villagers armed in Pakistan administer Kashmir

The Prime Minister of Pakistan administered Kashmir, Sultan Mahmood, says that his government has distributed arms and communications systems to villagers living in areas bordering Indian administered Kashmir.

Mr Mehmood told the BBC that at least two thousand rifles had been handed out in one-hundred-and fifty villages along the Line of Control as part of civil defence measures.

He said the decision to arm villagers was taken after recent cross border firing by Indian security forces.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service