Pakistan's war worries

An anti-aircraft emplacement is readied in Karachi

By the BBC's Frances Harrison in Islamabad

The front pages of the Pakistani newspapers may have been dominated for months by news of Afghanistan.

But now the focus has shifted decisively to the possibility of a war with India with stories saying army morale is high, public hospitals are on alert and that intelligence officials fear Indian agents may be planning bomb attacks.

Indian TV is to be banned

The most immediate impact of the crisis has been on those who live near the border, rather than the population as a whole.

Villagers north of the Punjabi town of Sialkot have started fleeing their homes in anticipation of what is to come - something they have done in the past when troops have been deployed in such large numbers.

Along the Line of Control which divides Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, there are reports that 100 people in southern Rawalkot district left their homes on Friday night for fear of attacks but then returned during the day.

Travellers' woes

The sanctions imposed by India on Pakistan are also beginning to affect people with a huge rush for tickets on the remaining flights to Delhi before the ban on Pakistan International Airlines over flying Indian territory takes effect on 1 January.

And with the last bus leaving Lahore on Saturday for Delhi before the service is suspended, there have been emotional scenes among those families divided across the border.

Divided families have been the worst affected

"When the buses stop it's people like me who are the worst sufferers" said Shaheen Iqbal, a Pakistani married to an Indian who had come to Lahore to visit her parents.

Passengers who travelled to Pakistan to attend weddings found themselves rushing to get home before the celebrations had even started.

The last train for India is due to depart on Monday from Lahore.

Peace calls

Pakistan's main port city of Karachi has been relatively unaffected by the talk of war.

However, the uncertainty has caused panic in the stock markets with shares initially loosing six percent of their value but then recovering somewhat.

Amid all the talk of war, some voices have been raised for peace.

A group of Pakistani non-governmental organisations is planning a march on Monday towards the Wagah border post in Punjab to call for dialogue while a delegation of retired Indian military men in the India-Pakistan Soldier's Initiative for Peace is also in Islamabad to press the case.