Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 21: While cross-LoC travel and trade remained suspended for seventh consecutive week on Poonch-Rawlakote route today, all 116 civilians from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), who were stranded in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri for almost six to seven weeks, returned to their homes from Kaman Post in Uri-Muzaffarabad route of Kashmir. Simultaneously, three civilians from Poonch and Rajouri, who were stranded in PoK, returned via Kaman Post and were expected to reach their homes tomorrow.
Official sources told the Excelsior that cross-LoC bus on Poonch-Rawlakote route, which was suspended on July 10, didn’t operate for seventh consecutive week today in view of tensions between India and Pakistan following heavy mortar shelling and firing by the Pakistani troops at various places in Poonch and Rajouri districts including Chakan-Da-Bagh, from where the cross-LoC bus crosses over to Rawlakote in PoK from Poonch.
Also, there will be no cross-LoC trade between two parts of divided State this week, sources said. While cross-LoC bus moves every Sunday, the trade takes place for four days from Tuesday to Friday.
Meanwhile, as many as 116 PoK residents, stranded in Poonch and Rajouri districts for over six to seven weeks due to suspension of Poonch-Rawlakote cross-LoC bus service, left Poonch for the Kaman crossing point in Baramulla to return to their homes this morning.
Three Indians, stranded in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), also returned today from Kaman Post and will reach their homes tomorrow, sources said.
The PoK passengers left in several buses through Mughal Road, the alternate link between Kashmir and rest of the country, around 5 am, sources said.
Sources said a senior officer from Poonch district accompanied 116 PoK citizens to Kaman Post to facilitate smooth return of stranded civilians. Similarly, he will bring back three civilians of this side.
Sources said the PoK passengers reached the Sports Stadium Poonch yesterday and were given Government accommodation for the night.
They returned to their native places via ‘Aman Sethu’ (peace bridge) which connects Uri with PoK.
Baramulla district administration were informed and requested for providing logistic sport and other necessary arrangements for crossing of overstaying PoK guests, sources said.
While the weekly cross-LoC bus service, named ‘Karvaan- e-Aman,’ continues to ply on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, the facility along Poonch-Rawlakote road remained suspended since July 10 due to heavy firing and shelling from the Pakistani side.
Sources said there seems to be no early chances of the resumption of cross-LoC trade and travel on Poonch-Rawlakote route in view of strained relations between the two countries following intense mortar shelling and firing for the past more than two months now in which Pakistan army had directly targeted the civilian locations, leading to their casualties and damages.
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) had recently recommended closure of cross-LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir on the ground that the trade was being misused by Pakistan for funding terrorists and separatists.
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