SRINAGAR : Despite tense situation on the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir, where four militants and three soldiers were killed during the past 48 hours, the Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) left here this morning to cross over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC).
The peace bus left Srinagar 0700 hrs for Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector, official sources told UNI. Four foreign infiltrators and three soldiers were killed in the encounter in Naugam sector near LoC in north Kashmir district of Kupwara which ensued on Saturday and continued till yesterday.
The bus has since reached Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) and the exact number of passengers in it would be known later in the day.
Similarly, information on guests travelling from PoK will also be known in the afternoon, the sources said.
The weekly bus was suspended twice during this month. The bus could not operate on May 8 for security reasons as the Army had launched a search operation at village Adoora in Uri sector after a firing incident. It also could not operate on May I following a communication from PoK authorities regarding suspension of service on account of International Workers’ day.
The bus service, a major Confidence Building Measure (CBM) between India and Pakistan after 1999 Kargil war, continued despite unrest in Kashmir in 2016 and tension on the LoC, due to ceasefire violation and subsequent surgical strike by Indian troops in the PoK.
The cross-LoC bus service, started on April 7, 2005 despite opposition by militant organisations, has helped thousands of families, divided in 1947 due to partition, to meet each other after India and Pakistan agreed to allow travel of state subjects from both sides on travel permits, instead of international passport.
However, the travel permit is issued to state subject from both sides of the LoC only after their names are cleared by the intelligence agencies from India and Pakistan. However, only state subjects from both sides could avail the cross-LoC facility.(Agencies)
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