SRINAGAR : Karvan-e-Aman bus service, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), was stopped as Army conducted a search operation in a village near Uri following some firing shots last night.
The bus on way to Kaman Post, the last Indian military post on this side of the Line of Control (LoC), was stopped by Army at Jabla Bridge as a search operation was going on at Adoosa in Uri, official sources said.
They said the bus had left Srinagar at 0700 hrs to cross over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC).
The weekly bus could not operate last week also after a communication was received from PoK authorities that due to International Workers’ day holiday the weekly service has been suspended.
The bus has returned to guest house today, the sources said adding it was not immediately clear whether the bus will now operate or not, the sources said, adding that Army has informed that a search operation was launched after some firing shots were heard last night.
Senior civil and police officials are taking up the matter with Army and a decision will be taken shortly.
The bus service 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.
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.
Barring chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani and senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, majority separatist leaders have visited PoK in the Karvan-e-Aman bus. (AGENCIES)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel