Traders meet Gov as India, Pak prepare LoC CBM on Kashmir

Srinagar: As India and Pakistan are likely to announce Confidence Building Measures on LoC trade between divided parts Kashmir, traders associated with the barter commerce Monday met state governor NN Vohra here to apprise him about the problems facing them. “We had a very successful meeting with the governor NN Vohra as he assured to take up the issues facing us with Government of India,” Hila Ahmad Turki, general secretary, J&K Chamber of LoC Trade, told.  “The meeting was convened as Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan are likely to announce the CBMs with regard to the trade,” he added.The traders, who submitted a Memorandum of their demands to the Governor, seek review of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for cross-LoC trade after every three months, facilitating regular Zero Point meetings of traders from both sides, monthly visits of delegations of LoC traders for trade talks and waiver from the payment of VAT on items covered under LoC trade. The traders also welcomed the New Delhi’s proposal to increase in number of trading days from present two to four days a week but insisted that there should be increase in number of commodities as part of the Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) between India and Pakistan.“Let the trade run whole week but there should either be increase in the number of viable commodities as part of the SOP or there should be no ban at all on lawfully approved items,” he added. The LoC 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 Chakandabagh crossing point in Poonch and Salamabad route in Uri town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.