Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Apr 19: The suspension of cross LoC trade between India and Pakistan by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has evoked a mixed reaction.
While several Kashmiri leaders have termed suspension of cross-LoC trade between two parts of divided J&K via Salamabad (Uri) and Chakan-da-Bagh (Poonch) routes as great setback to peace process, a few Jammu based organizations have described it as a step in right direction.
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Senior CPI (M) leader and former MLA from south Kashmir , MY Tarigami said , ” We were demanding measures for strengthening and streamlining the existing trade and travel arrangements across the LoC and modalities for introducing additional Cross-LoC CBMs. The decision of the Central Government to suspend the cross-LoC trade is detrimental to peace process,” he said.
” Instead of providing the cross-LoC traders with banking and telephone facilities, the Govt has virtually taken a reverse gear. Flourishing cross-LoC trade would have helped in peace process as it was one of the biggest confidence-building-measures (CBMs) between the two countries. If the cross-LoC trade routes were being misused for illegal inflow of weapons, narcotics and fake currency, as claimed by Government of India, a proper mechanism could have been evolved to stop it. Suspending the trade is not the answer to these issues,” Tarigami said.
He said both countries should expand the trade list to cover all items manufactured or produced in the two parts of Kashmir and double the number of trading days, allow trucks carrying cross-LoC trade goods to their final destinations, and open additional routes of Chhamb-Pallanwalla on the Bhimber-Jammu side and Khoiratta-Nowshera on the Kotli-Rajouri side as these are the shortest and most viable routes for cross-LoC trade.
Chairman PDF and former Minister, Hakeem Mohd Yaseen has termed suspension of cross LoC trade as a most unfortunate act which would give a severe set back to the much needed peace efforts in the sub-continent.
In a statement Yaseen said that the decision to suspend cross LoC trade between two countries was a bad news for the people of this State. He said opening of trade routes between the two neighbouring countries had generated a hope for resumption of dialogue and reconciliation among the people of the state who are yearning for peace. He impressed upon the leaderships of India and Pakistan to earnestly work towards bridging the gaps instead of severing the existing ties.
Pradesh Congress Committee leader and former MLC, GN Monga has said that BJP-led Government’s decision to suspend cross-LoC trade was taken for electoral gains.
“Like most of the unpopular decisions taken by the BJP in recent times, the suspension of cross-LoC trade too, was taken in haste for electoral gains. The BJP is feeling that the ground is slipping under its feet and now they are desperately looking at further polarising the Lok Sabha polls,” he said in a statement issued to press here.
“Such decisions will further alienate people.Cross-LoC trade was one of the biggest CBMs between India and Pakistan in recent years and the BJP is reversing all the CBMs for petty politics. If there were any problems in the trade, the Government is to be blamed for that. It should have evolved a mechanism to make the trade fair and transparent instead of closing it down,” he added.
Moderate Hurriyat Conferebnce chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed the decision to suspend cross LoC trade as unfortunate and ssaid such measures for `short term gains’ come at a huge price for the people.
“Extremely unfortunate that GoI instead of enhancing people to people contact as families of both sides of LoC stand divided and improving trade and other ties, even whatever little had been achived since Vajpayee time is being blocked and stopped. Such measures for short term gains come at a huge price for people,” Mirwaiz tweeted.
Meanwhile, JCCI in an urgent communication to Director Ministry of Home Affairs Department of J&K Affairs, Government of India, requested for resuming the LoC Trade at the earliest and fixing of responsibility for the administrative lapses resulting in breach of security and suspension of LoC Trade.
Reacting to the suspension of trade, JCCI said that stopping LoC Trade abruptly without intimating to the LoC traders poses a huge risk of financial loss to the traders. It said both the JCCI and LoC Traders Federation have been demanding for a fool proof strict regulatory mechanism at the LoC trade points both in J&K. These included installing full truck body scanners, putting in place the banking facilities, policy on registration on LoC traders and appointment of one man Trade authority. It is most unfortunate that none of these demands have been met with, resulting into suspension of LoC Trade. The Govt must review its decision and restore the cross LoC trade, JCCI maintained.
Chairman of the Team Jammu, Zorawar Singh Jamwal has welcomed the decision of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with regard to suspension of cross LoC trade in J&K and claimed that Team Jammu demand, stood vindicated.
In a press statement, Jamwal said the Team Jammu had already warned that these two routes are being misused by the unscrupulous and anti-national elements for promoting narco- terrorism and hawala money. There was urgent need to keep check on such activities. He said the Team Jammu has welcomed the decision of the Indian Govt to suspend cross LoC trade via Chakkan-da-Bagh in Poonch and Uri- Muzaffrabad routes.
State unit of Shiv Sena has also termed this decision as a step in right direction and maintained that Govt of India should curve all the anti-national activities in J&K State and elsewhere.
Welcoming the decision of Centre to suspend cross-LoC trade between India and Pakistan indefinitely, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raman Suri today said that two routes through which trade was going on were being misused by Pakistan-based elements. The decision of Union Home Ministry is not only apt but timely as nation was going through polls and trust deficit was all time high.
In a statement issued here, Suri said Salamabad and Chakkan Da Bagh had become routes to smuggle fake currency, contraband and weapons in this side of the fence as part of proxy war launched by hostile neighbours. Heaven is not going to fall if these routes stay close unless a mechanism is put in place as a proper travel and trade route through Attari and Wagah is open and doing business as usual.
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