M A I N   N E W S

LoC standoff: Pak suspends 2 bus services
Tribune News Service

Driver has immunity: Pak Pakistani authorities claimed immunity for the driver arrested after the massive contraband seizure India has asked the Pakistani officials to produce documents that establish the driver’s diplomatic immunity Cross-LoC trade, which continues from Tuesday to Friday every week, may also remain suspended on Tuesday

Srinagar/Poonch, January 20
Pakistani authorities on Monday suspended the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote bus services to press for the release of a Pakistani driver arrested by the Indian authorities for smuggling in narcotics worth Rs 114 crore.

The suspension of the bus services, in what is seen as a pressure tactic, worsened the deadlock at the Line of Control (LoC). Twentyseven Indian truckers continued to be detained for the fourth day at the Chakoti trading facility on the Pakistani side of the LoC.

As many as 48 Pakistani drivers were stranded at the Salamabad trading facility near north Kashmir’s Uri town. The Pakistani authorities are seeking the release of all 49 drivers, including the driver caught with the contraband last week.

As the continuous detention of truckers threatened to derail cross-LoC trade, the Jammu and Kashmir Government decided to take up the issue with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday.

“We have been keeping an eye on the developments. Pakistani authorities are adamant and want the detained driver released. We will take up the issue on Tuesday with the MHA for an early end to the standoff,” State Commissioner-Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Farooq Ahmad Faktoo said.

“The Karavan-e-Aman bus to Muzaffarabad was scheduled to ply today, but it has been suspended,” Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Shailendra Kumar said. Cross-LoC trade, which continues from Tuesday to Friday every week, may also remain suspended on Tuesday, he said. It is not for the first time that cross-LoC trade has been halted. It was suspended for six week last September after cross-LoC

Traders sought withdrawal of the Customs Department order disallowed trading of items produced in Pakistan. However, the issue was addressed after the MHA’s intervention.

Shailendra Kumar also said Pakistani officials had claimed “immunity” for the arrested driver. “Pakistani officials conveyed to us that under the (cross-LoC) pact, truck drivers had immunity from arrest… we have asked them to produce documents that establish diplomatic immunity of the driver.

So it is a deadlock,” the official said. Earlier, the Poonch-Rawlakote Rahen Milan bus service reached Chakan Da Bag, as scheduled, with 29 passengers.