CHAKOTHI, Nov 9: Pakistani and Indian officials exchanged relief goods for earthquake victims in the two parts of Kashmir as the second crossing on the Line of Control dividing the disputed region opened on Wednesday.
No civilian was allowed to cross over, though around 17 residents of occupied Kashmir had reached the makeshift terminal set up in tents some 500 yards away from the LoC to return to their homes across the dividing line. They had come here by the trans-Kashmir bus before the Oct 8 earthquake.
The exchange of goods took place under a ‘peace bridge’ after military and civilian officials from both sides met and shook hands with each other. Prominent among them were Lt-Col Chiragh Haider and AJK’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (general) Shafique Kayani from Pakistan and Lt-Col Ghulab Singh Rawat and occupied Kashmir’s Additional Commissioner Dilshad Khan from India.
The peace bridge linked the two Kashmiris before the quake which left a part of it unusable. A pedestrians’ track led Pakistani officials and journalists to the water channel some 30 feet down the road where a wooden footbridge was put in place for crossing.
Mr Kayani said the Indians had brought 1,000 packets, each weighing 20kg, of foodstuff, 200 tents and some blankets.
In reply to a question, Col Haider declined to give the number of bags Pakistan had made ready for delivery across the LoC. “Quantity is not to be calculated. The purpose is not to compete (with India). We just want to help our Kashmiri brethren across the LoC. It’s basically a goodwill gesture which we are maintaining.”
