Despite shelling, 51 fresh PaK guests among 87 cross sides in peace bus

Srinagar: Despite shelling by Pakistani troops in Uri sector, 51 fresh guests from Pakistan-administrated Kashmir (PaK) arrived here today while only one Kashmiri crossed over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC).
As many as 35 returnees also crossed sides at Kaman Post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector, official sources told UNI this afternoon.
One soldier was injured when Pak troops opened unprovoked firing on forward positions in Uri sector today.
The sources said 51 resident of PaK, including 17 women and 12 children, arrived at Kaman Post after crossing the Aman Setu, peace bridge, on foot to meet their relatives, separated in 1947 due to Partition.
Four Kashmiris, including a woman, who had gone to PaK, also returned to their homes after completing stay on other side of the LoC.
Meanwhile, Karvan-e-Aman bus left here at 0700 hrs this morning for Kaman Post to cross over to other side.
However, only one Kashmiri crossed over to other side to meet his relatives in PaK.
They said 31 PaK residents, including three women and two children, who had arrived here in previous buses returned to their homes after completing stay here.
The number of PaK guests increases during summer and suddenly drops in winter when the temperature here goes down to minus. Similarly the number of Kashmiris crossing over to other sides increases during winter and drops in summer.
The bus service, a major Confidence Building Measure (CBM) between India and Pakistan after 1999 Kargil War, continued despite unrest in Kashmir in 2016 and tension on the LoC, due to ceasefire violation and subsequent surgical strike by Indian troops in the PaK.
The cross-LoC bus service, started on April 7, 2005 despite opposition by militant organisations, has helped thousands of families, divided in 1947 due to Partition, to meet each other after India and Pakistan agreed to allow travel of state subjects from both sides on travel permits, instead of international passport.
Barring chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah, almost all separatists leaders have travelled to PaK in the bus.
However, the travel permit is issued to the state subject from both sides of the LoC, only after their names are cleared by the intelligence agencies from India and Pakistan.
However, only state subjects from both sides can avail the cross-LoC facility.