Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 29: As cross-LoC travel and trade along Poonch-Rawlakote route remained suspended for past more than three weeks, the civil administration has taken up the matter with Army for facilitating return of 116 citizens of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and three residents of this side from PoK, who remained stranded in each other’s territory despite completion of their stay.
Official sources told the Excelsior that civil administration has approached the Army for taking up with their Pakistani counterparts the opening of gates at Chakan-Da-Bagh on Poonch-Rawlakote route to facilitate return of 116 PoK citizens, who were stranded in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri for past more than three weeks and three residents of this side, who were held up in PoK, almost for a similar period.
For the past three weeks, PoK authorities and Pakistan army haven’t opened the gates at Chakan-Da-Bagh, a result of which, the cross-LoC bus service, which moves between Poonch and Rawlakote every Monday followed by trade between two parts of divided State from Tuesday to Friday, hasn’t taken place.
“This is perhaps the longest ever standoff that has led to holding up of as many as 119 civilians in two parts of the divided State for more than three weeks since the bus services followed by trade started along Poonch-Rawlakote and Uri-Muzaffarabad routes of Jammu and Kashmir in 2008,” sources pointed out.
The dispute started after heavy mortar shelling and firing between Indo-Pak troops in Nowshera, Manjakote, Balakote, Mendhar and other sectors on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts, leading to escalation of tensions as well as heavy casualties and damages on Pakistan side. India also suffered some casualties.
Sources said the civil administration of Poonch district has formally taken up the issue with Army at official level for facilitating opening of gates at Chakan-Da-Bagh for return of 116 PoK citizens to their homes and three civilians from Poonch and Rajouri districts back here as they have already completed their stay but couldn’t return due to closure of gates.
“We hope the gates at Chakan-Da-Bagh would open this Monday and the weekly bus would move between two parts of divided State resulting into return of 119 stranded civilians,” sources expressed confidence but said they have not received any message so far as to whether the gates would open next Monday for movement of weekly bus services followed by trade between two parts of the divided State.
According to sources, it was in view of intense shelling between India and Pakistan in Rajouri and Poonch districts that has cast shadow over the weekly bus and trade for past three weeks and no certainty that things would be back on the track next week.
This Monday, people from PoK, who were stranded here at the houses of their relatives for past several days had held massive protest against Pakistan Government and PoK authorities for not opening gates at Chakan-Da-Bagh leading to their holding up on this side of the LoC despite completion of their stay.
Authorities in Poonch, meanwhile, stated that they have got permit of PoK citizens extended from the concerned authorities, which was mandatory as they were held up on this side of the LoC without any fault of their.
It may be mentioned here that the National Investigating Agency (NIA), which has been investigating terror funding through cross-LoC routes of Poonch-Rawlakote and Uri-Muzaffarabad, has already recommended to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for stopping the trade on both the routes on the ground that it has been grossly misused by some of the traders for funding terrorism and unrest in the Kashmir valley.
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