A PoK-based Trade and Travel Authority declined to return 50 trucks coming from India through Kashmir, in response to the seizure of 22 trucks by India yesterday.
A senior PoK official confirmed the intra-Kashmir trade embargo and claimed that under the agreement between the two countries, India is obliged to return the trucks carrying trading merchandise.
He further said that unless India provide evidence with regards to the drug smuggling allegation and return the 22 seized trucks, the 50 trucks held by them will not be permitted to return.
Cross border trade through the Chakothi sector along the LoC was suspended following the seizure of trucks by India.
A similar standoff had occurred in January last year after Indian authorities had seized drugs worth nearly Rs 100 crore from a truck coming from PoK, which led to a brief suspension of cross border trading activities.
In August 2013, police in India had recovered cocaine worth Rs 10 crore from a truck, plying on Srinagar- Muzaffarabad route, at Sheeri in Uri sector.