Cross-LoC bus service, symbol of peace process, suspended

On April 7, 2005, when the Aman Setu Peace Bridge on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was thrown open many called it the fall of the Berlin Wall of Kashmir.

On April 7, 2005, when the Aman Setu Peace Bridge on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was thrown open, many called it the fall of the Berlin Wall of Kashmir 8212; divided families reunited as tears cascaded over flecks of petals on jubilant faces. That extraordinary moment saw two buses with 49 passengers blurring the line that had divided Kashmir for over five decades. But today, the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, that big peace move between India and Pakistan in Kashmir, was suspended indefinitely by the J038;K government.

The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road is no longer the highway of peace. In the last three days, 23 people have lost their lives on the highway after the Kashmir8217;s Fruit Growers Association called for a march to the Line of Control to save their produce, rotting because the Valley8217;s only road link had been snapped in Jammu and Punjab to set off an 8220;economic blockade8221; of Kashmir.

The Hurriyat Conference, out to revive its separatist agenda, is now demanding that every Kashmiri be allowed a free ride on this road. The August 11 march to the LoC, which led to the killing of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz in police firing, was one of the largest mobilisation of people in Kashmir since 1990 and the Hurriyat8217;s new strategy is to try and attempt similar marches.

8220;We have suspended the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus,8221; said J038;K Director General of Police Kuldeep Khuda. 8220;It is because of the prevailing situation and curfew. We do not want to cause inconvenience to passengers from both sides.8221;

For Abdul Qadir Wadhloo of Uri town, this was the news he had been dreading. 8220;I tried to go on the bus several times but couldn8217;t manage to get the permit. I was finally going this time. It is just our bad luck.8221; Wadhloo8217;s family was spilt in two in 1947. His father, daughter and a cousin took the bus recently to meet relatives across the LoC. 8220;It was my turn now. My mother and son were to accompany me. She is very, very upset. Who knows what will happen next,8221; he said.

Manzoor Lone, Managing Director of State Road Transport Corporation, said the cross-LoC bus service was one of the most prestigious services of his department. 8220;It has been a great success,8221; he said. The government, in fact, had plans to increase the frequency of the service 8212; making it weekly from fortnightly, even doubling the number of passengers.

According to the J038;K Police, as many as 1,537 people from the Valley have already used this service while 1,473 have travelled from across the LoC. In fact, the Centre had opened four other LoC points 8212; Teetwal, Poonch-Rawlakot, Balnoi route in Mandhar Tata Pani and Silikot in Uri. At Teetwal, people have to foot it and a few hundred have already done so. Balnoi and Silikot are not functional. The situation in Poonch too is precarious, putting a question mark on the cross-LoC bus service there as well.

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