Cross LoC trade may resume on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route

The cross-Line of Control trade between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, which was suspended last week following recovery of drugs from a truck from Pakistan occupied Kashmir, is likely to resume tomorrow following talks on hotline between the officials of the two sides today.
A senior government official said the officials from PoK have given "positive signals" during today's talks that the trucks and drivers stranded across the Line of Control will be allowed to return to their native places by tomorrow morning.
"We are very hopeful. The attitude of Pakistani officials was very positive about resuming the trade activities," the official said.

The trade and travel on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road between the two sides of Kashmir across the LoC was suspended over the arrest of a PoK driver following recovery of narcotics from his vehicle last Friday.
Anayat Hussain, a resident of Muzaffarabad, and local trader Zahoor Ahmad Malla, who was to receive the consignment, were taken into custody after the recovery of the 305 packets of brown sugar from former's vehicle. A case under Section 8/21 of NDPS Act has been registered against the duo and investigations are ongoing.
The PoK officials have asked their Indian counterparts to expedite the legal process against the driver and keep them informed about the developments.

"They also insisted that the evidence in the case should be shared with them on regular basis," the official said.

All the 22 vehicles which came from PoK on Friday are still at Salamabad trade facilitation centre in Uri while the 49 trucks from Indian side are held up in Chakoti on other side of the LoC.
In January last year, the authorities had siezed drugs worth nearly Rs 100 crore from a truck coming from PoK, which led to brief suspension of cross-Line of Control trade after police arrested the Pakistani driver of the vehicle.
The PoK officials did not allow the Indian trucks and the drivers to return till the accused PoK driver was enlarged on bail by a local court and returned home.

In August 2013, police recovered cocaine worth Rs 10 crore from a truck, plying on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, at Sheeri in Uri sector.
The LoC traders association has demanded that the issue of import of drugs be investigated by the National Investigation Agency or CBI to eradicate the evil once forever.