On the Day India Bombed JeM Camp in Balakot, Cross LoC Trade Between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad Stays on Course

New Delhi: On the day India, in an aerial strike, bombed terror camps in Pakistan, the cross LoC trade between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad continued unhindered through the day.

As per officials, even after the purported strikes in Balakot area of Pakistan on Tuesday - a total of 70 trucks crossed the LoC from both sides. This included a total of 35 trucks from either side of Kashmir, said officials.

News portals quoted several officials saying that the trucks in transit between the two countries were loaded with tomatoes, embroidery and grapes. The Indian side received 35 trucks from the other side of Kashmir.

As per the available information cross LoC trade is scheduled for four days a week from Tuesday to Friday, while travel is scheduled once every week.

The Srinagar–Muzaffarabad bus passes through Kaman Aman Setu, which means bridge of peace, in Uri.

The bridge was rebuilt by the Indian Army after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake when a mountain on the Pakistani side had caved in. This route was opened for trade in 2008 after a period of 61 years.

Last week, 140 trucks crossed the LoC from the Indian side while 70 trucks came in from Pakistan, carrying various items both from Uri and Poonch trade facilitation centers.

Sources say that trade was temporarily halted in Poonch for two days last week due to riots that broke out in Jammu district following which curfew was imposed in the entire region for two days. Since it was started back in 2008, cross-LoC trade has had a rough journey. On several occasions the trade has been stopped due to adverse circumstances in the two countries.

The trade has also taken a beating once in a while due to some trucks being found with suspicious materials and, according to the NIA, often been found to be used for movement of narcotics and illegal currency exchange.

At a time when Pakistan has ‘promised’ a ‘retaliation’ for the jet strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force, it may be difficult to predict how long the trade will continue unabated between the two countries.