SRINAGAR : The weekly Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) was suspended today in view of the Eid-ul-Azha being celebrated tomorrow.
Decision to suspend the cross Line of Control (LoC) bus service was taken jointly by the administration on both sides of the border keeping in view the Eid festival, official sources said.
They said people, who were scheduled to travel in the weekly bus have been informed about the decision.
Barring on July 11 and 18, the bus service continued despite unrest in the Kashmir valley where 78 people were killed and over 8000 others injured in security force and police action, since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag, evoking massive protest.
The bus service on these days was suspended for security reasons because of strike by sepatatists while on July 4 in view of Eid-ul-Fitr. During the unrest the bus service from Srinagar to Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector was operational early in the morning and those coming from POK had to wait at Uri before starting journey towards their respective destinations late in the night to avoid stone pelting.
The bus service, introduced on April 7, 2005, has helped thousands of families divided due to partition in 1947 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.
However, people are allowed to travel only after their names are cleared from intelligence agencies from both sides. (AGENCIES)
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