Kashmir border quiet after overnight shelling

Indian and Pakistani guns fell silent after the heaviest exchanges this year in troubled Kashmir, as the US secretary of state began his visit to the subcontinent.

The firing across the international border and the ceasefire line dividing the province between India and Pakistan erupted on Monday.

The two countries have fired at each other across their frontier for decades, and the exchange would have been considered normal, if not for the relative calm through most of this year.

Powell was due in New Delhi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and ease tensions between India and Pakistan, as Washington seeks help from both countries to fight terrorists.

Shelling across the frontier continued through the night. India claimed "widespread damage and destruction" to punish the Pakistani army for aiding Islamic militants in the Himalayan province.

Pakistan's military-led Government accused India of unprovoked firing on civilians.

A Pakistan army spokesman denied India's statement that 11 military posts were destroyed, but said a woman was killed and 25 civilians were wounded and houses were damaged.

"There were no casualties on the Indian side," said Vijay Raman, inspector-general of paramilitary Border Security Force.

In Washington, US President George Bush called for calm.

"I think it is very important that India and Pakistan stand down during our activities in Afghanistan, for that matter, forever," he said.