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Cross-LoC bus service suspended; 27 PAK citizens stranded
Anubhav Misri. Dated: 8/20/2019 10:15:53 AM
Pak army refuses to open gates of Rah-e-Milan
POONCH, Aug 19: Pakistani army Monday refused to open gates of Rah-e-Milan at Chakkan Da Bagh to pave way for operation of Poonch-Rawlakote bus service thus forcing 27 Pakistani Administered Kashmir (PAK) residents to remain stranded here even after the expiry of their permits.
Pak army’s decision is presumed to be a sequel to developments unfolding after Indian government revoked Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
Official sources said this morning Poonch district administration officials along with 27 PAK residents reached Chakkan Da Bagh, however Pakistani army did not open gates of Rah-e-Milan, thus forcing all 27 Pakistani nationals to stay back in India.
“The weekly cross LoC bus service was suspended on Monday, following PAK administration and Pakistan army’s apparent decision to call off the service. The bus service was suspended after authorities in Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK) did not respond to call from their Indian counterparts to let the bus get across the border,” said officials.
“Poonch-Rawlakote bus service has been suspended. We had sent a message to PAK authorities for bus service today, but they did not respond,” they added. The hostile relations between India and Pakistan made few stranded Pak nationals to stay away from a marriage ceremony of their relative in Pakistan.
A stranded PAK citizen, who preferred anonymity, told KTNS, “I along with my family, came here last month and decided to return after celebrating Eid here. Now today we were supposed to return to Pakistan. We went there but our army did not open gate at Rah-e-Milan.”
He said, “We have to attend marriage (Rukhsati) of my cousin but due to hostile relations between both sides we are forced to stay here. As relations between both nations are not good nowadays, I’m scared about my family as well as myself. I heard news about ceasefire violation and hostile relations from media persons, obviously we’re terrified.”
He said, “Our children’s studies are suffering as I have to submit their Board forms. Now I’ve asked my brother to fill up the forms as it’s now impossible to say anything about our return. Leaders can’t experience the pain of division, only we - the divided families- can feel it. The divided families were benefitted with the opening of ‘Rah-e-Milan’ as my uncle had come here through this Chakkan Da Bagh route when it was inaugurated by Prime Minister of India. They were welcomed by them. So this route must remain open as it is nearer and approachable. But it seems that the governments of both sides have decided to stop bus service on this route too. This is sad.”
He requested authorities of both sides to open gates of Rah-e-Milan at least for this week to let them go back.
Officials stated that out of 42 PAK residents stranded in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, permits of these 27 people had expired.
The cross-LoC bus service was started along the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route in April 2005 and the Poonch- Rawalakot road in June 2006 to facilitate trade and travel between the divided families of Jammu and Kashmir and PAK.
The trade, which works on the barter system, between the two parts of Kashmir started in October 2008. Recently, the Indian Railways announced that it had cancelled operations of Thar Link Express and Samjhauta Express. The announcement came after Pakistan suspended all train services to India after the Centre scrapped provisions of Article 370 and divided Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories. Pakistan had also stopped the Lahore-Wagah Samjhauta Express services -- the main rail link between the two hostile neighbours.