LoC TRADE AND TRAVEL|India, Pakistan officials to meet at ‘zero point’ in Uri today

As the cross-LoC trade and travel between India and Pakistan remains suspended for the past two weeks, officials of the two countries are meeting at the ‘zero point’ in Uri area of Baramulla on Monday to “iron out differences” hampering the repair work of the Kaman bridge which facilitates the business and people-to-people contact between the two sides.

A senior official told Greater Kashmir that the meeting,fixed on Monday evening, will be attended by officers from the civiladministration and army from the Indian side.

   

The bridge repair work is halted because the Pakistaniofficials haven’t given their consent to the demand that there will be noceasefire violation while the repair work is underway, the official said.

According to an order issued by the Jammu and Kashmirgovernment, deputy commissioner Baramulla would chair the “zero meeting” atKaman-Post from the Indian side.

Apart from the bridge repair issue, India would also seekPakistan’s approval for exporting Kashmiri rice to Pakistan-administeredKashmir, according to the ‘agenda’ of the meeting.

The main agenda points of the meeting are: repair of Kamanbridge; crossing of vehicles across LoC by custodian; increase in number ofvehicles from 35 to 70 from both sides in view of suspension of trade for theholy month of Ramdhan; quarterly traders’ zero-point meeting for reconciliationwith counterparts; allowing food-grain for export and spices for import, andrevival of various facilities at Kaman post.

Earlier, the cross LoC trade and bus service were suspendeddue to pending repair works of the bridge, according to officials.

“Due to the sustained use of Kaman AmanSetu for cross-LoCtrade for a long period, the bridge has suffered some damages which requireimmediate repairs. Inspection of the bridge was carried out by representativesof GREF (a border roads organisation wing) supported by army engineers on March8, 2019, which indicates that the bridge needs urgent repairs and maintenanceto ensure its longevity,” an official communication of the trade facilitationcentreSalamabad, Uri, reads.

The repair work will require 10 to 15 days and the tradeservice will be suspended accordingly, the communication reads.

President, Kashmir chamber of commerce and industries (KKCI)Sheikh Ashiq said they have taken up the issue of prolonged closure of theintra-Kashmir trade and bus service with the concerned authorities.

“We recently held a meeting with divisional commissionerKashmir seeking his intervention in the matter. It was after this meeting thatthe decision to hold a zero-point meeting with Pakistani officials was taken,”he said, adding that the chamber has always given its unequivocal support forstrengthening the cross-LoC trade and travel.

Vice-president, cross-LoC traders’ association, Samiullah,said: “It is unfortunate that the government has halted this trade (fromKashmir side) for over two weeks, while it is going on smoothly from Jammuside”.

“Due to delay in carrying out the bridge repair works, wehave incurred huge losses. We urge both Indian and Pakistani authorities toallow this trade to flourish,” he said.

In October 2008, India and Pakistan announced commencementof the intra-Kashmir trade between divided parts of Kashmir as a “confidencebuilding measure”.

The cross-LoC bus service was officially launched on April7, 2005.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

4 + one =