Cross-LoC trade resumes in Jammu, freeze continues in Kashmir

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Cross Line of Control (LoC) trade in Kashmir failed to resume today as no goods trucks arrived at the crossing point from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), but it re-opened in the Jammu region with nine vehicles crossing over.


At Kaman post at Uri in north Kashmir, state authorities were waiting for trucks to come from PoK but none reported at the crossing point.

The gate at the 'Aman Setu' bridge was not opened, due to which a lone Indian truck, carrying clothes, could not cross over, official sources said here.

After deliberations following a stand-off over seizure of a truck from PoK for allegedly carrying drugs, cross-LoC trade was expected to resume today.

However, no Pakistani truck arrived near the Kaman post in Uri to cross over.

Sources said that three Indian trucks ---- carrying clothes, tea and cumin seeds ---- had reported at the checkpost at Uri. While two of them returned in the wee hours, the third truck could not cross over at Kaman post as the gates were not opened.

The drivers of the two trucks who returned with their vehicles cited damage to their goods due to extensive search by the security forces.

At Chakan-Da-Bagh-Rawakote in the Jammu area, nine trucks each from PoK and Jammu crossed over.

The cross-LoC trade, an important confidence building measure, had taken a hit on January 17 after Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested a truck driver from PoK for allegedly carrying 114 packets of brown sugar, worth Rs 100 crore in the international market.

That led to a stand-off as PoK authorities detained 27 Indian trucks and refused to take back their remaining 48 trucks from India.

The matter was resolved after more than three weeks with the Pakistani side releasing the Indian trucks and taking back their vehicles without insisting on the return of the arrested Pakistani driver.