Srinagar, Feb 27 (KMW): The cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade, which resumed after remaining suspended for 40 days yesterday, hit another roadblock as trucks from Kashmir had to return without unloading their goods in Pakistan-administered Kashmir(PaK).
“We were subjected to harsh checking and harassment by PaK authorities forcing us to return back without unloading the goods,” the drivers said.
Twenty-two trucks loaded with goods from here, crossed over to PaK yesterday after both sides agreed to resume the cross LoC trade which remained suspended since January 17 when a PaK driver was arrested after 114 packets of brown sugar were recovered from his truck at Salamabad, Uri, in north Kashmir.
The drivers from Kashmir said that they were directed to unload all goods go through checking before loading them again in the trucks to proceed towards the trade centre there.
They said nobody was against checking, but it should be done as per previous pattern as agreed by both sides. “We later returned Salamabad in Uri trade facilitation centre on Wednesday,” they said.
Trade ties had resumed after more than half a dozen meetings between the trade representatives of PaK and Kashmir near Zero-point at Kaman post, the last Indian military post on the LoC in Uri sector.
Trade and Karvan-e-Aman bus services were suspended after PaK driver was arrested following the recovery of brown sugar from his truck on January 17. PaK authorities did not allow Kashmiri drivers to leave while the drivers from PaK also refused to leave for their homes, demanding release of arrested driver.
The matter was later taken by Ministry of External Affairs with Pakistan through its Embassy in New Delhi as PaK authorities demanded handing over of driver, truck and brown sugar so that he could be tried there.
This was however, rejected by authorities in Kashmir as the case was pending before the court.
Meanwhile, the bus service resumed after remaining suspended for two week when both sides agreed to allow cross border travel of divided families. The bus service was started on April 7, 2005 while trade activities in 2008 after remaining suspended since 1947 due to partition.
