Jammu and Kashmir: Cross LoC trade remains suspended for ninth consecutive week due to ceasefire violations

Jammu: The cross-LoC bus service between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) via Poonch-Rawalakot road remained suspended for the ninth week on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_3890489” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “The cross-LoC trade continued to remain suspended. It is ninth week of suspension of trade,” Custodian of LoC Trade Poonch, Mohammad Tanveer, told PTI. Businessmen engaged in barter trade between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir suffered a loss of about Rs 63 crore owing to suspension of the cross-LoC trade. The trade along with cross-LoC bus service, billed as biggest confidence building measure between the two countries, remained suspended along Poonch-Rawalakot route through Chakan-da-bagh crossing point since 10-11 July following sharp increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistani Army this year. Tanveer said goods worth Rs 6 to 7 crore used to be traded from this side every week. The goods worth Rs 1,500 crore were traded by the businessmen of the divided parts of Kashmir since thestart of the facility in 2008. While the bus service remained suspended since 10 July, the trade, which usually takes place for three days from Tuesday, was suspended on 11 July after heavy firing and shelling from the Pakistani side caused damage to trade facilitation centres and police barracks.