Fayaz Bukhari/ Gopal Sharma
Srinagar/ Jammu, Jan 27: India and Pakistan today failed to make any breakthrough in resuming the trans-Line of Control (LoC) trade and travel that remains suspended since middle of this month following recovery of huge quantity of narcotics from a Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) Truck at Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre in Uri in North Kashmir on January 17.
However, Pakistan during a meeting of the India and Pakistan officials at Aman Setu today sought investigation report about the recovery of drugs by Jammu and Kashmir Police so as to trace the source of this huge consignment of drugs that landed at Trade Facilitation Centre Salamabad, Uri through trans-LoC trade. The meeting at the Aman Setu was held this afternoon despite ceasefire violation by Pakistan yesterday.
The meeting was held to resolve the standoff arisen after around 114 kilogramme of brown sugar was recovered by Police from a PoK truck driven by Mohammad Shafiq Awan,son of Abdul Aziz Awan of Shard, Muzaffarabad, on January 17.
Police seized the PoK truck and arrested driver and Pakistan in retaliation detained 27 truck drivers and their trucks at Chakoti Trade Facilitation Centre and refused to accept 48 PoK trucks and their drivers. They are demanding release of the arrested truck driver and seized truck. Pakistan also suspended the trans-LoC Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch Rawalkote bus services.
Today the two sides met for the first time since January 18 to resolve the crisis. The meeting was attended by Director Industries and Commerce, Mohammad Javed Khan, Trade Facilitation Officer Salamabad, Shoukat Ahmad Rather, Sub-district Magistrate Uri, Abdul Aziz and Station House Officer Uri and Director General trans-LoC Trade, Retired Brigadier Mohammad Ismael Khan and Deputy Commissioner Muzaffarabad, Bashir Ahmad Mughal.
The Trade Facilitation Officer, Salamabad, Showkat Ahmad Rather told Excelsior that Pakistan sought Police investigation report about the recovery of drugs during the meeting. “The PoK officials told us to share investigation details during the meeting. They wanted the interrogation report of the driver so as to trace out the person who has send the drug consignment. We told them that we will share it but how to share it will be decided by the Government”, he added.
Rather said that the PoK officials, however, refused to end the standoff by releasing 27 truck drivers who were detained by PoK authorities after the arrest of PoK driver and seizure of truck. “They said that they will release the 27 drivers only after we return 49 drivers including the arrested driver and seized truck”, he added.
The trade officer said that meeting was held in cordial atmosphere and PoK officials diluted their earlier stand. It may be mentioned here that PoK officials were maintaining that no drugs were found in PoK truck and Indian side was trying to stop trade by claiming recovery of drugs.
The meeting at the Aman Setu was held despite ceasefire violation by Pakistan near Aman Setu yesterday.
General Officer Commanding of 19 Infantry Division, Major General Anil Chauhan said that Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked firing near Kaman Post near Aman Setu yesterday morning. He said the three rocket-propelled grenades were followed by intermittent small arms firing for around three hours.
The officer said the scene of firing was close to a Pakistani post. “It could be speculated that elements inimical to the welfare of people, cross-LoC trade or maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the LoC opened the fire,” he said adding that Army didn’t retaliate.
Meanwhile, weekly Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Karvan-e-Aman bus remained suspended for the second week today. The bus service was suspended again today. This is the second week the bus could not be operated because of drug row. The bus service was suspended on January 20.
The families of the truck drivers who are stranded in Trade Facilitation Centre, Chakoti, PoK, today held a protest at Baramulla demanding end to the standoff and release of the drivers. The protesters blocked the National Highway at Khanpora but the protesting families later dispersed after police intervention.
Meanwhile, the weekly bus service between Poonch (Chakkan-da-Bagh) and Rawalakote ( POK) remained suspended for the second time again today as the Pakistani authorities did not open the gates.
Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Sajjad Ahmed Khan said that out of 84, 14 stranded PoK visitors and three J&K residents as per weekly routine left for Chakkan-da-Bagh at around 11 from Poonch today. The Immigration and security staff had also reached the LoC point.
The stranded PoK residents had insisted on to go to the LoC point. On their request, the bus was sent from Poonch up to LoC point but they kept wasting there for over one and half hour and nobody from that side responded. The gates were not opened and contact could be established with the authorities on that side. Later, the bus returned to Poonch.
Mr Khan disclosed that 84 PoK residents have been struck on this side and their stay is illegal, whereas, 54 Indians got stranded there. They are running short of money and their families are worried. They are continuously contacting the District Officers for help but they have been told that matter will be resolved with the intervention at the top level in New Delhi and Islamabad.
This is the second occasion that bus service could not take place at both the cross LoC points in Uri and Chakkan-da-Bagh. There is no response from the Pakistani side after development of seizure of brown sugar from a truck coming from the Muzaffrabad to Uri and arrest of driver by Indian authorities. But the visitors on both the sides, their families and other truck drivers have been put into trouble for their no fault.
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