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Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service suspended

SYED YASIR. Dated: 2/10/2015 3:04:07 PM

SRINAGAR, Feb 9: After trade, the weekly bus service between Srinagar and Muzafarabad was suspended today. Pakistani authorities are demanding the release of their arrested driver and conductor after they were arrested by police on Friday on charging of carrying 10 KGs of banned narcotics in their truck.
The talks between the senior officials of both the parts of the state were held today at Aman Seetu to end the deadlock. But the meeting concluded without any breakthrough. The Salamabad-Chakoti trader’s federation today met with Governor NN Vohra and urged him that traders whose 300 trucks carrying goods of various commodities stranded at Salamabad should be allowed to cross through alternative routes till the matter gets resolved at Salamabad.The Pakistani authorities today stopped the weekly bus service between Srinagar and Muzafarabad after they suspended trade between Salamabad and Chakoti since Friday.
The Pakistani authorities even did not allow the stranded truck drivers to cross the Aman Seetu crossing point. The Pakistani authorities not only prevented this part of the trucks to return, but has also refused to return their own 21 trucks. They are demanding that all of their 22 trucks should return to their part. Around 50 trucks from this part, which had crossed to Chakoti are also stranded there. To end the deadlock, a meeting of the senior officials of both the parts of the state was held today at Aman Seetu crossing point.
The delegation from this part of the state was headed by deputy commissioner Baramulla, Talat Ahmad, Senior superintendent of police Baramulla, SDM Uri and senior officials of trade facilitation centre. The Commissioner Muzafarabad, Bashir Mugal was heading the delegation from PAK.
During the meeting the Pakistani administered Kashmir authorities demanded that the material which has been recovered by the police should be shared with them and the detained truck driver and conductor should be released.
Trade facilitation officer Salamabad, Showkat Ahmad Rather said the meeting held in co-ordinal atmosphere and both the sides understood each other viewpoint in a peaceful environment. He said that PAK authorities were insisting that material should be shared with them which have been recovered.
“We told them, if the law permits, we are open to share it,” he said. The trade facilitation centre officer also said when the Pakistani authorities were asked by the reasons behind the cancellation of today’s bus service between Srinagar and Muzafarabad.
“The Pakistani authorities told us that Bus service should be disassociated with the stopping of trade and it would restart the bus service at an appropriate time,” he said. The facilitation officer also said that the deadlock over the suspension of trade would be resolved soon as the talks are going in right direction between the officials of both the parts of the state.
Meanwhile, the Salamabad- Chakoti trader’s federation today met with Governor NN Vohra at Jammu. The delegation was led by JK joint commerce and Industry president Y V Sharma.
Salamabad-Chakoti traders federation general secretary Hial Turkey. Hilal Turkey said during their meeting with Governor, they urged him that alternative trade route should be given to them so that they could sent around 300 trucks to Pakistan administered Kashmir which has been stranded at Salamabad.The governor assured all possible held to the traders and he would take all necessarily steps in this direction.