Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road link may soon transport stranded LoC passengers

Jammu: As the bus service along the Line of Control (LoC) through Poonch-Rawalakot road continues to remain suspended for over a month, the Jammu authorities are weighing the option of using Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for transporting 119 stranded passengers on both sides. [caption id=“attachment_3940125” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] “We are abreast of the situation and our efforts are on to ensure the early departure of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) residents and bring back our citizens. We are weighing the option of using Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in Uri sector of the valley for the exchange of passengers,” District Development Commissioner, Poonch, Tariq Ahmad Zargar told PTI. The weekly bus service was suspended along Poonch-Rawalakot road on 10 July due to heavy firing and shelling from Pakistani troops in Poonch sector, leaving 116 PoK residents stranded at the houses of their relatives on this side. Three residents of Poonch-Rajouri belt also got stuck across the border due to the closure of the road link. Zargar said he had taken up the issue at the highest level including with army. “We are hopeful of an early solution to the issue,” he said. The PoK residents had staged a protest on 7 August at Poonch Stadium, where cross-border passengers usually gather before leaving for Chakan-da-bagh crossing point, to press for their demand for an early return to their homes. The opening of the crossing point suffered a set back on 8 August after fresh firing from Pakistan ended a lull of 19 days and left a soldier dead. Pakistan again resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing along the LoC in Poonch district on 12 August, leaving a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and a woman dead.