PoK chamber to visit Kashmir

A team of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry from Pak-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), Muzaffrarabad, is visiting Jammu & Kashmir in the first week of March.

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mobeen Shah told Business Standard that the Kashmir Chamber has received a communication from the Zulfikar Abbasi, president, Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) Chamber of Commerce and Industry in this regard.

He disclosed that the 28- member Chamber team from PoK had already obtained 'no objection certificate' from the Pakistani government about their proposed visit to Jammu & Kashmir.

The PoK Chamber delegation is also expected to meet J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and convince him about the mode of trade which can be carried between the two sides of Kashmir across the Line of Control.

The mutual visits by the traders bodies across the border would help in giving a boost to the trade and commerce besides normalisation of the relations between India and Pakistan, Shah maintained.

During the visit by Kashmir traders the possibilities of trading various short-listed tradable items by the governments on the either sides would by discussed.

He said in view of massive devastation due to earth quake in PoK in 2005, their side had offered to provide steel, cement, tin sheets and other construction material to the people of the other side.

"Many other items have also been short listed for the trade across the LoC," he added.

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief has urged Azad to take personal interest and ensure that a 'no objection certificate' was given by the Indian government so that the visit of PoK Chamber team could be materialised. It would be a part of confidence building measures.

"Their visit would definitely be a contribution in this respect from the people associated with the commerce and industry," Shah said.