58 Indians,65 POK residents stranded due to LoC-bus suspension

JAMMU: With the suspension of "Karvan-e-Aman" bus service between POK and J&K, as many as 58 Indians and 65 POK residents are stranded on the two sides of LoC.

"As many as 58 Indians are stranded in POK and 65 POK nationals are stranded in Jammu and Kashmir after the suspension of cross-LoC bus service by the Pakistan indefinitely", Poonch district officials said today.

Indian nationals and POK residents travelled to each others side on 15 days permit and some of them had extended the stay of the visit on the two sides.

"Pakistan has suspended the cross-LoC bus service between Chakan-Da-Bagh (J and K) and Rawalakote (PoK) for the time being," Trade Facilitation Officer (TFO), Poonch, Abdul Hamid Sheikh told PTI.

"There would be no cross-LoC bus service on Monday," the TFO said, adding, "No time frame was conveyed to us for re-starting the cross-LoC trade and bus service."

Sheikh said that he contacted Director General, Trade and Travel, PoK for clarifying the situation on LoC trade and travel and he conveyed that there was firing going on and in this situation, no travel can be carried out till further orders.

This is second time that LoC travel and trade has came a grinding halt after Pakistan Army refused to open gates during the past 8 months.

The Poonch-Rawlakote'Carvan-e-Aman' bus service was also suspended on June 11 last year and resumed later on July 17 after the Brigade commander level meeting between Pak and India armies.