M A I N   N E W S

After trade, Pak shelling halts trans-LoC bus service
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria & Darshan Bharti
Tribune News Service

Jammu/Poonch, June 18
After taking a heavy toll on cross-LoC trade, repeated shelling by Pakistani troops on Indian forward posts in the KG sector has hit another crucial Confidence Building Measure between two nations - the trans-LoC bus service between Poonch and Rawalakote.

The Pakistani authorities today refused to open the gates for the weekly bus -“Carvan-e-Aman”- which was started to facilitate easy to-and-fro travel for divided families of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

“There has been no cross-LoC trade via Chakan-da-Bagh since June 14 and now Poonch-Rawalakote bus service has also run into rough weather,” Abdul Hamid, custodian of the trans-LoC trade and travel told The Tribune.

The Army has been demanding a flag meeting with its Pakistani counterpart to de-escalate the border tension. “Unless it takes place, resumption of trade and travel between the two sides looks remote,” Hamid added.

The travel and trade via Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch and Salamabad in Uri were started between the two countries in 2005 and 2008, respectively.

“Going by existing circumstances it appears the cross-LoC trade and travel will remain suspended for some more days. We have informed the passengers,” said Hamid.

Jammu-based traders have already suffered a loss of nearly Rs 1 crore due to abrupt suspension of the trade. “No trade took place last week and chances look bleak this week too,” rued president of the Poonch Cross-LoC Traders’ Association Pawan Anand.

Border Trouble

n The trans-LoC bus service between Poonch and Rawalakote has been suspended

n The Pakistani authorities on Monday refused to open the gates for the weekly bus -“Carvan-e-Aman”- which was started to facilitate easy to-and-fro travel for divided families of J-K and PoK 

Fresh message sent to Pak

Jammu: The Army on Monday again sent a message via hotline to its Pakistani counterpart to hold a flag meeting. “We have sent a message but so far haven’t received any response from the Pakistan side,” said an Army spokesperson. Uneasy calm has returned to the KG sector as guns on both sides are silent since June 17.