Cross LoC trade between Uri and Muzzafarbad resumes

Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla Talat Parvaiz, confirmed to The Indian Express that trade has been resumed and fresh convoy of trucks has been sent to the other side on Thursday.

“We have allowed 21 trucks of the other side to cross the LoC and 50 Indian trucks that were stranded in Muzzafarbad, have crossed the LoC and are now at Salamabad TFC,” Parvaiz said. “The driver, from whom drugs were seized last week, is in police custody.”

He said that the resumption of the LoC Trade through the route is the outcome of the effort of the officials of both sides. “It was a joint effort and Pakistan officials had showed their interest earlier that trade should resume at the earliest,” said Talat.

A senior official at the TFC Uri said that during the last meeting with the Pakistan officials, both Salamabad and Chikoti have agreed to ensure that such incidents don’t take place in future.

“Pakistan officials have now taken a few measures, after the latest case. Both the sides have also decided to intensify the checking of the trucks during the trade,” he said.

J&K police and custom officials, on Friday had arrested a Pakistan driver after narcotics contraband was seized from his vehicle during the weekly trade between the two countries. Subsequently, the POK officials who were demanding the release of the Pakistani driver didn’t let 50 Indian truck drivers to return to Kashmir.

The weekly Karwan-e-Aman bus service between India and Pakistan that runs on every Monday was also suspended earlier this week, due to the trade deadlock.