CM to take cross LoC trade matters with GoI

Srinagar: While as Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Wednesday said that he would take up the issues of cross LoC trade with the Government of India to make the mechanism more facilitating and easy for traders, the later announced to continue with the two-week strike. “I would take up with the Centre the issues of creating banking relations and communication facilities between the traders of the two sides besides stressing on freezing of the commodity list for at least one year identifying items of business so that there will be no ambiguity about the trading of various commodities,” chief minister said, adding that these aspects are essentially required to flourish the trade and give it a concrete edifice.Talking to a delegation of Cross LoC Traders’ Association at Awami Mulakat here, the Chief Minister said that he would also convene a high level meeting of all concerned to look into other issues pertaining to the cross LoC trade.Hilal Ahmad Turki, general secretary Salamabad-Chakoti Traders Association said that the traders took various issues include VAT, meeting of traders on zero point, ban on various items by governments here and other side of the divide. “As the Chief Minister said that he will convene the meeting of concerned officials within one week, we will decide on strike after the meeting,” Turki told. The traders have been repeatedly demanding change in the list of approved items as part of the SOPs.“There are still indistinguishable items in the approved list of 21-items. We demand government to put those items in the list that bring about profit to us and let the trade blossom.”The trade was started with fanfare after 60 years on October 21, 2008 last through the Poonch-Rawalakot and Srinagar-Muzaffarabad routes. It takes place on every Tuesday and Wednesday from both these routes.