LoC trade may go off track

The attack on Mumbai may cast its shadow on the visit of a trade delegation to PoK, which was cleared by the state Government recently.

The attack on Mumbai may cast its shadow on the visit of a trade delegation to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), which was cleared by the state Government recently. Official sources said that with the surcharged atmosphere in New Delhi and Islamabad and reports that India may stop the cross border links, there is possibility that trade between Jammu and Kashmir and PoK will be stopped.

While Commissioner/ Secretary Industries and Commerce Pawan Kotwal said that trade will be normal as it was part of the confidence building measures (CBM) between the two countries, an official source said both Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route and Poonch-Rawlakote route will have to face closure till there is normalisation in the relation.

Traders are also apprehensive about the future of the trade routes which was opened on October 21 by both the governments, after a gap of 61 years.

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“We can’t say anything about the business links at the moment,” said Ram Sahai, president Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Jammu.

M M Khajuria, former DGP and an expert on the situation in Kashmir, said, “At this moment no exchange is possible as what happened in Mumbai was a war on India and there is tremendous pressure on the Government.”

However, industrialist Vikrant Kuthiala said, “I feel that terrorists should not be allowed to derail the process which had acted as major confidence building measure between the two divided parts.”

On November 12, Governor N N Vohra discussed the modalities for the visit of a delegation of the representatives of CCI, various traders’ associations, manufacturers and fruit growers of both the regions of the state to PoK.

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