Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 24: Government has decided to run a special Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service on Friday to facilitate trans-Line of Control (LoC) travel of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) passengers stranded due to floods in Kashmir.
Regional Passport Officer Srinagar, Firdous Iqbal, said here that the decision has been taken to arrange a special bus service for the stranded passengers on either side of the LoC due to floods on September 26. He, however, said that normal bus service will run on September 28 as per schedule.
The bus service was scheduled for September 8 but could not be operated due to floods that inundated parts of Kashmir valley September 7.
Iqbal said that around 60 Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) residents are stranded in Kashmir since floods. And around 40 Kashmiris are stranded in PoK due to cancellation of bus service.
The RPO has asked the passengers of cross LoC to report to SRTC yard at Bemina, Srinagar for their return to Muzaffarabad.
Earlier, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) directed the RPO Srinagar to allow residents of PoK, who are stranded in flood-hit Kashmir, to return to their homes via Poonch-Rawalakote route in Jammu region.
Iqbal said that communication breakdown hampered the return of PoK residents and some of them who approached the RPO were desperate to return home as their relatives were worried about their safety.
Karavan-e-Aman (Peace Caravan) bus service on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad was started in April 7, 2005 as a confidence building measure between India and Pakistan and runs weekly on every Monday.
In the meantime, the trans-LoC trade on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route resumed today after remaining suspended for three weeks due to floods.
Officials said that 23 trucks carrying chillies and handicrafts from Kashmir crossed over to PoK, 27 trucks carrying various goods arrived from the other side of the LoC.
Meanwhile, the trade on cross Line of Control on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route resumed today while a special Karavan-e-Aman (peace caravan) bus service will be operated on Friday to allow the stranded Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) residents to return home.
The trade on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route resumed today after remaining suspended for three weeks in the wake of devastating floods that hit Kashmir Valley in the first week of September, officials said.
Officials said while 23 trucks carrying chillies and handicrafts from Kashmir crossed over to PoK, 27 trucks carrying various goods arrived from the other side of the LoC. (PTI)
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