JAMMU : The traders from India and Pakistan will discuss cross border trade issues at a high-level meet scheduled to be held tomorrow at Chakkan-da-Bagh along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. They said a delegation of traders from Jammu and Kashmir and from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir will have detailed discussion regarding issues related to trade, delayed payments and import, export of goods.
“The cross LoC traders’ meet for resolving various issues will be held after the gap of nearly 14 months at Chakkan-da-Bagh on May 20,” Sajad Ahmad Khan-Deputy Commissioner, Poonch here told.
Mr Khan said the meeting was supposed to be held after an interval of every three month but due to tension between both the countries, it was suspended and got delayed. “The traders met me on certain occasions and requested to initiate process for conducting the meeting. The issue was taken with the higher authorities and the officials on both the sides finally agreed to hold this event,” Mr Khan added.
Mr Khan said from Pakistan, Director General Trade will also be taking part in the meeting, adding, “A communication from other side has already been received and the officials concerned with the Cross LoC trade are working accordingly.”
“We will take up the matter with our counterparts and discuss to hold the meeting quarterly in future,” he said and hoped that next meeting would surely be held in the month of September depending upon the circumstances.
The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also been conveyed about this meeting and some members will be attending the meet, he added.
“We will be attending the meeting on May 20 and will raise the issues of trade and business,” Y V Sharma-President Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries told UNI. Mr Sharma said there are many aspects and issues related to the traders fraternity which require discussion with the Pakistan delegation, adding, “It is good that the meeting is being held. We hope that relations between both the countries improve so that such meetings keep taking place so that traders can discuss and solve their issues.”
However, sources said the quarterly cross border traders meet remained suspended after the incidents of beheading of two Indian soldiers in January 2013 in Mendhar area of Poonch, killings of our five jawans at the LoC near Kahri Karmara in August last year and recent detention of PoK driver after recovery of narcotics in Uri, Srinagar.
“There was a demand from traders from both the sides to hold quarterly meet as various issues including pending payments vis-à-vis trade related disputes were on hold,” sources added. The demand meanwhile was conceded by both the governments after discussing it at the higher levels including Ministry of External Affairs, Home Affairs and Trade and Commerce and finally it was decided that meet will be held at Chakkan-Da-Bagh on LoC point on May 20.
(AGENCIES)
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