Srinagar: As many as 25 fresh guests from Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) arrived here Monday while only three Kashmiris crossed over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC) in the weekly Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad.
However, this time there was no passenger of Poonch-Rawlakote bus. Last week, 116 residents of PaK, who were stranded in Jammu after Poonch-Rawalakote bus service remained suspended since July 10 due to heavy shelling from across the border, crossed over to the other side through Kaman Post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector in Baramulla district of north Kashmir.
“As many as 35 returnees also crossed sides at Kaman Post,” official sources said Monday evening.
They said 25 resident of PaK, including 13 women and four children, arrived at Kaman Post after crossing the Aman Setu, peace bridge, on foot to meet their relatives, separated in 1947 due to partition. Nine Kashmiris, who had gone to POK, also returned to their homes after completing stay on other side of the LoC. They included two women and three children.
Meanwhile, three Kashmiris, including a woman, crossed over to other side to meet his relatives in PaK.
They said 26 PoK residents, including 11 women and six children, who had arrived here in previous buses returned to their homes after completing stay here.
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.
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 bus facility.
