Cross-LoC trade, considered a positive confidence building initiative had been taken way back in 2008 when Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh flagged off the first bus at Srinagar bound for Muzaffarabad across the Uri-Chakothi route. That occasion raised many hopes of improving bilateral relations. But subsequent history disproved it. A number of obstructions and difficulties arose and the traders began to lose interest. The number of items dwindled from 22 to 3 or 4. So did the number of trucks carrying the goods. No facilities were provided to the traders and thus the whole affair began to appear a farce.
But it appears that the Government of Nawaz Sharif is interested in reviving the trade relations. It has accorded permission to forty Indian traders to visit PoK and enter into mutual dialogue with their counterparts in Muzaffarabd, Kotli and Rawlakot. The meeting of the Joint Chamber of J&K and PoK is expected to discuss and suggest resolution of all obstructions in the flow of border trade.
We have always considered that facilitating interaction between the two sides through trade and commerce across the LoC as a strong confidence building initiative. The Government of India has allowed three delegations from PoK to visit Kashmir but it is for the first time that Pakistan has given permission to the Indian delegation to proceed to PoK. We hope that the two sides will be able to jointly move the two Governments to accord various facilities to the trading community. There have to be facilities like banking/ telecommunication and single widow system as promised by Government time to time, coordination between the agencies deployed at LoC point and traders have not to be harassed. More items have to be included into the list of traded articles and visa or transit permits have to be eased. Both sides have to ensure that cross LoC terrorists and other anti-social groups do not misuse trade.
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