SRINAGAR: Undeterred by prevailing situation in the Kashmir valley, 19 fresh guests from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) arrived here while only ten Kashmiris crossed over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC) to meet their relatives, separated in 1947 due to partition.
As many as 63 residents of POK who got stranded in the Kashmir valley due to cancellation of the weekly Karvan-e-Aman bus service for three consecutive weeks, also returned to their homes yesterday, official sources said.
They said 19 POK residents, including seven women and three children, arrived at Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector yesterday afternoon.
However, the guests had to stay at Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC), Uri, till 2200 hrs for security reasons due to strike and restrictions. They were later taken in special vehicles to their destination.
Similarly ten Kashmiris also crossed over to other side of the LoC to meet their separated relatives, they said.
However, those who had to travel to POK were taken in three buses from Srinagar yesterday at 0430 hrs and reached Kaman post at 0730 hrs before crossing over to other side.
The bus service was suspended on July 4 in view of the Eid-ul-Fitr. However, due to unrest after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir on July 8, the bus service could not operate on July 11 and July 18.
The bus service, introduced on April 7,2005, has helped thousands of families divided in 1947, to meet each other through Srinagar-Muzaffar road after India and Pakistan agreed to allow travel of state subjects from both sides on Travel Permits instead of International passport despite opposition by militant organisations. (agencies)
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