SRINAGAR: Despite heightened tension on the Line of Control (LoC) due to shelling by Pakistani troops after surgical strike by Indian troops across the border, the Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), continued.
Official sources said that the weekly bus left Srinagar early this morning for Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector, where fidayeen attacked Army Brigade headquarters on September 18.
Four Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants, believed to be foreigners, were also killed in the encounter. The bus has reached Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC), Uri at around 0800 hrs safely.
The fidayeen attack followed by surgical strike by Indian troops on militant launch pads across the border. However, Pakistan has denied any such strike and claimed that two of their soldiers were killed in cross border shelling.
Barring July 11 and 18, the bus service continued despite curfew, restrictions and strike for the past 93 days in the valley, where 86 people were killed and over 9,000 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, owing to strike by the separatists for security reasons, while on July 4 and September 12, in view of Eid festivals.
During the unrest, the bus from Srinagar to Kaman post is leaving Srinagar early in the morning to avoid stone pelting during the day. Similarly, people coming from PoK have 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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