Fayaz Bukhari/ Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU Jan 21: The trans-Line of Control (LoC) trade in Uri and Poonch remained suspended today after recovery of huge quantity of narcotics from a Pakistan occupied Pakistan (PoK) truck at Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre in Uri, North Kashmir last week.
The Trade Facilitation Officer, Salamabad, Shoukat Ahmad Rather told the Excelsior that no cross-LoC trade took place today as the standoff continued with 48 PoK trucks stranded at Salamabad following recovery of 114 kilogramme of narcotics from one of the trucks that has been seized by police and its driver arrested.
Rather said that although Trans-LoC Trade Act is silent over the seizure of any truck or arrest of any driver in case of criminal offence but the driver of Pakistani truck, Mohammad Shafiq Awan, has been arrested under Narcotics Act, he can’t be released and handed over to PoK authorities as he is to be tried here.
“Under the Act the trucks and drivers are to be returned on the same day but huge quantity of narcotics was recovered from one of the trucks and police have arrested its driver and seized the truck. We can’t let off the driver and truck as case under Narcotics Act is registered against him”, said Rather.
At Chakkan-da-Bagh, cross LoC point in district Poonch, the trade also remained suspended today. The authorities got 14 trucks ready for the delivery of goods at Poonch convoy ground. They had been loaded with potatoes, tomatoes and dry chillies.
TFO Poonch along with other officials and security staff moved for the routine trade activity at the LoC point at around 11.30 am but they returned after the Pakistani authorities did not open the gates. They made another attempt and reached the LoC point at around 1.30 pm but receiving no response they again returned.
Deputy Commissioner Poonch Sajjad Ahmed Khan said that as expected yesterday after suspension of bus service from Pakistani side, no trade activity took place at the Chakkan-da-Bagh LoC point today. He said the TFO Jagdish Kumar, Custom, Immigration and Trade officials and other staff had reached there at 11.30 am. The Indian staff kept waiting there up to 1.30 pm but no body from the Pakistani side reported at the LoC point. Even the tent erected there for routine activity was found removed on that side of the gate.
PTI adds from New Delhi:-
India today summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner in connection with the suspension of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Rawlakot-Poonch bus services by Pakistan, which has demanded release of its national arrested for smuggling narcotics worth Rs 100 crore across the LoC.
Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan was summoned by Joint Secretary, in-charge of the Pakistan division in Ministry of External Affairs, Rudrendra Tandon in South Block and delivered a strong diplomatic message.
It was surprising that Pakistan “choose to hold hostage” trans-border trade and bus services which brings immense humanitarian benefits across the borders for the sake of saving those who indulge in drug trade, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said.
He also said the Foreign Ministries of the two countries were making all efforts to resolve the situation as early as possible.
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