SRINAGAR : Despite unrest for the past 59 days in the Kashmir valley, the weekly Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) left here early this morning for Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector.
As many as 22 passengers boarded the cross-LoC bus here early this morning for crossing over to the PoK, official sources said.
The bus left at about 0530 hrs for security reasons to avoid any demonstrations or stone pelting on way, and reached Kaman post safely at about 0900 hrs.
Sources said the exact number of people crossing over to the PoK will be known only at 1200 hrs as more people could join at Kaman post.
Similarly people coming from the PoK will have to wait at Kaman post or Salamabad before starting journey towards their respective destinations in the evening to avoid any untoward incident because of strike called by separatists in protest against the killing of civilians since July 9, a day after killing of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants in Anantnag encounter.
The bus service was suspended on July 4 because of Eid-ul-Fitr festival. The cross-LoC bus was suspended on July 11 and 18 for security reasons after the death of Burhan following massive protests across the valley.
Later, it was decided to ply bus service early in the morning from here and late in the night from Kaman post to avoid any violence.
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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