Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 20: The trans-Line of Control (LoC) trade between India and Pakistan failed to resume in Uri today while trade through Poonch resumed this afternoon after a gap of over a month.
The Trade Facilitation Officer (TFO) Salamabad, Shoukat Ahmad Rather, told Excelsior that last evening TFO Chakoti, Basharat Iqbal, informed him that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) traders are not ready for LoC trade. He said that PoK traders want a meeting with the Kashmiris traders before commencing the trade.
Rather said: “We were ready for the trade and some trucks had even arrived for the cross over. Since this trade is barter system so trucks from both the sides have to cross the LoC so we didn’t send our trucks.”
Sources said that PoK drivers are not ready for crossing into Indian side following arrest of driver Mohammad Shafiq Awan son of Abdul Aziz Awan of Shard, Muzaffarabad, PoK on January 17 after 114 kilogrammes of brown sugar were recovered from his truck. Awan is in Jammu and Kashmir Police custody and his police remand was extended till March 4.
However, trade between Poonch and Rawalakote resumed today and 18 trucks crossed the LoC this afternoon. The TFO, Chakan-da-bagh, Bashir Ahmad Lone, told Excelsior that trade was resumed this afternoon. “We sent 9 trucks and received equal number of trucks from PoK. One PoK truck was carrying apple and rest of them were loaded with orange”, he said adding that Indian trucks carried banana and herbs.
Lone said that they have got directions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government of India that trucks from both the sides should be thoroughly checked. “Traders are facing difficulty as the new checking process is time consuming but it is mandatory. The traders should cooperate”, he added.
After much deliberations following a standoff over seizure of a truck from PoK carrying drugs, the trade was expected to resume today.
Sources said though three Indian trucks carrying clothes, tea and cumin seeds had reported at Salamabad check post at Uri in North Kashmir for crossover but they returned.
Two of the truck drivers took back their vehicles from the depot, saying their goods will be damaged if subjected to extensive search.
The cross-LoC trade remained suspended between Salamabad and Chakoti and Chakan-da-bagh and Rawalakote since January 17 after arrest of the PoK truck driver and seizure of his truck from which 114 packets of brown sugar packets were recovered.
This followed a stand-off as PoK authorities detained 27 Indian trucks and refused to take their remaining 48 trucks from India.
The matter was resolved after more than three weeks with Pakistani side releasing Indian trucks and taking back their vehicles without insisting on return of the arrested Pakistani driver.
Pakistan finally agreed not to insist on its demand for release of the arrested driver and his vehicle as the Indian side made it clear that he will have to face the due process of law.
India and Pakistan had on February 12 agreed to release trucks detained in their respective territories.
The deadlock ended with an agreement that the detained trucks will cross back to their respective territories.
Follow our WhatsApp channel