Srinagar, Jun 25: Trade worth Rs 7 crore was conducted this week via Salamabad-Chakoti route, officials said.
The Valley traders exported consignments worth Rs 2.56 crore in 87 truckloads to PaK. The goods weighing 5241 quintals mostly comprised of chilies and coconut.
Meanwhile Rs 4.52 crore goods were imported from the Chakoti Trade Centre in 41 trucks that were weighing 1932 quintals. Dry fruits and 290 carpet rolls dominated the supply, officials said. “The trade along the Salamabad-Chakoti route continues and infact runs smoothly,” said Muhammad Ashraf Wani, trade facilitation officer Salamabad, Uri, and general manager DIC Varmul.
However, the trade on Poonch-Rawalakote route remained suspended this week as well. The Jammu traders alleged that the officers of the district administration Poonch, on first day of the trade, had persuaded a fraction of traders to resume the trade, “however the PaK traders refused to accept those trucks and returned them right from the zero-line.” “The local administration had hired some agents to resume the trade and thereby halt our agitation. They were even provided with security guards,” said Sheeraz Ahmad Khan, spokesperson of Intra-J&K Cross-LoC Trade Association.
The traders demanded that they should be allowed to conduct the trade of all 21 items approved for the cross-LoC trade. “Our main concern is that every now and then the government imposes ban on one item or the other, which, however are already mentioned in the list of 21 approved items,” said Khan.
 “The result is that the trade is now restricted to only a few items,” he added.
The traders said the number of trucks to cross the LoC a day should also be increased. “The local administration does not allow more than 25 vehicles a day from each side, whereas in the Standard Operating Procedure, there is no mention of the restriction on the number of trucks at all and it is clearly mentioned there that the trucks that reach the trade facilitation centre should be cleared on the same day,” said Khan.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST