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Hostilities hit LoC trade

Anubhav Misri. Dated: 1/11/2013 1:29:19 AM

POONCH, Jan 10: Indian trucks carrying goods on Thursday were barred by Pakistani authorities from entering Pakistan, citing the tense situation along the border in Poonch district.
Official sources said that after clearance at TFC, 25 trucks carrying herbs, tomatoes, capsicum and lady fingers marched towards Rawlakote from Trade Centre. When they reached Emigration centre, Indian officer conveyed message to their PAK counterparts for opening of gates but the Pak army officers did not respond. Indian officer thought that it may be due to some technical problem and few Indian officers went to Chakan-Da-Bagh. They waited there for more than an hour but Pakistan army did not open the gates and not even a single Pakistan army jawan was seen at the other side of the gates, said an Indian Officer.
Indian officer returned from Chakan-Da-Bagh to Emigration Centre and waited there for more than two hours. Getting no response from other side, Indian officers decided to return 25 trucks to Trade Centre.
A senior officer at Trade Centre said that 25 trucks carrying goods, mostly vegetables, from Indian side were not allowed to cross the LoC and enter Pakistan-Administered-Kashmir at Chakan-Da-Bagh as PAK army did not open the gates. He said with these 25 trucks, a total of 65 trucks are now lined up waiting to move to PAK from Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point. Most of these trucks are carrying perishable goods, particularly vegetables.
Pawan Anand, president of the Cross-LoC (Line of Control) Traders Union, said that about 25 trucks were halted at the border in Poonch district. Anand said the trucks had reached the Pakistani gates on the LoC but Pakistani officials did not open them, saying the gates will remain closed "till the situation becomes conducive". He said no trucks came from Pakistan too.
“We will face huge loss of at-least Rs 3 crores if our goods are not allowed to enter PAK as in almost all these trucks we have loaded perishable items. We will decide further strategy in an emergency meeting of traders tomorrow. He condemned the brutally killing of two Indian jawans in a raid by 29 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan who had intruded into Indian territory in Mankot sector of Poonch on January 8.
It is notable to mention here that Cross LoC trade came to grinding halt on June 14 last year due to closure of gates at Chakan-Da-Bagh border point following heavy LoC firing, shelling and ceasefire violations in Krishna Ghati Sector of Poonch on June 11 last year in which 2 Indian jawans were killed and 4 others injured.
The Pakistani decision follows escalating tensions along the LoC ever since India accused Pakistani soldiers of killing and beheading two Indian soldiers. Pakistan has charged India with killing two Pakistani soldiers.
The LoC divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. The cross-LoC trade began in December 2008.