Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 27: Instead of 25 trucks each, the Indian and Pak authorities today agreed to exchange 30- truck goods on both sides from next Tuesday onwards via Chakkan-da-Bagh cross LoC point, connecting Poonch and Rawlakote (PoK).
This important decision was taken by the officers on both the sides during bi-annual meeting of the traders on both the sides held on the Indian side of the Line of Control at Chakkan-da-Bagh LoC point in presence of Director General Trade and Travel, Pakistan Brig (Retd) Imtiaz Wayar and Deputy Commissioner Poonch, M H Mailk besides several other officers on both sides and office bearers of Cross LoC Traders Association.
Official sources said that a total 179 traders including 87 from Indian side and 92 those from PoK side attended the meeting which commenced at around 11.45 am and lasted up to 4.30 pm (IST). The previous meeting was held on that side of the LoC while this meet was organised on the Indian side of the Line of Control. Besides DG Trade, Assistant Commissioner Hajira (PoK) Shahbaz Khan; ATFO Mohd Arshed, TFC Abrar Abbasi and TFO (PoK)-Mohd Nahim and SSP Poonch J S Johar, Custodian/TFO Poonch Tanveer Ahmed TFO Rajinder Kumar and DSP Security S S Slathia attended the meeting.
President, Cross LoC Traders Association Pawan Anand, general secretary Krishan Singh Aval and office bearers from Muzaffrabad and Mirpur (PoK) also actively participated and helped the other traders and administration to solve trade disputes. It was pointed out during the meeting by several traders on both the sides that more than 300 traders have been registered but today hardly 179 have come forward to join this crucial meet. It was pointed out that many traders who were defaulters or avoiding payments, had not come to attend this meeting.
It was impressed upon the Administration on both the sides that both sides will share the lists of defaulters/ disputed cases in advance so that they could accompany such traders with them to the cross LoC meetings. The Association members also assured full cooperation to the Administration in this regard.
Since the commencement of Cross LoC trade via Poonch-Rawlakote, 25 trucks loaded with goods from Indian side and 25 from PoK side were arriving each day from Tuesday to Friday. Twenty items have been identified by both the sides for the trade. From next Tuesday onwards, 30 trucks from each sides loaded with goods will now be exchanged. The main items being traded at present are bananas, chillies, tamarind, almonds, dry dates, Kishmish etc.
It was resolved by the traders on both the sides to exert pressure on their respective Governments to increase the tradable items. More than two dozen payment disputes were also resolved and defaulters were given warnings to place them in black list if they continued to skip the meetings organised by the Administrations on both the sides to settle disputes and take necessary steps to ensure hassle- free trade. Some suggestions were also put forth by the traders on both sides to enhance facilities at the trade facilitation centre at the LoC. The matter with regard to installation of full truck body scanners also came for discussion.
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