Blasts rang out across Indian Kashmir and the Sikh holy city of Amritsar in neighbouring Punjab state late on Friday, with the Indian military saying it was shooting down drones in the worst fighting with Pakistan in nearly three decades.

As tensions between Pakistan and India continue to rise, the brunt of the impact is being borne by residents of the border regions in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where people say they have been forced to abandon their homes in search of safety.

The people of Kashmir have for decades been caught in the middle of the bitter rivalry between Pakistan and India over the disputed Himalayan region they call home