MUZAFFARABAD: Pakis­tani and Indian officials decided on Thursday to resume intra-Kashmir trade from Aug 8.

The decision was taken after a two-hour-long meeting on the Kaman bridge, which marks the divide in the Chakothi-Uri sector, some 60 kilometres south of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Intra-Kashmir trade suffered a blow on July 21 after New Delhi alleged that a truck carrying goods from AJK to the India-held state had brought “a huge quantity of heroin”.

As many as 14 trucks from AJK and 29 from India-held Kashmir (IHK) had transported goods through the Chakothi-Uri crossing point under the barter trade system to the other side that day.

Officials from both sides of LoC meet at Kaman bridge

However, Indian authorities alleged that police had seized 300 packets of heroin from one of the trucks from AJK. The heroin was hidden in boxes purportedly containing textile goods, the Indian side alleged.

The consignment, reportedly booked by one Anjum Zaman in Azad Kashmir, was meant for Kuloo Suppliers and addressed to Gul Ayazudin Gouhar at Fruit Mandi, Parimpora, Srinagar.

The driver of the truck, identified as Syed Yousuf Shah, a resident of Charwaya village near Muzaffarabad, was arrested.

Under the standard operating procedure of the intra-Kashmir trade, empty trucks are required to return to their respective side by 5pm, but vehicles were stranded on opposite sides till 1:30am that night.

While the authorities in Azad Kashmir sent all 29 trucks back, the authorities in IHK sent back all but one of the 14 trucks.

The truck which, according to them, had transported drugs was detained along with its driver.

Ever since, trade has been at a standstill from the Chakothi-Uri point.

However, travel did take place on July 24 through this point. But no travel took place on July 31 due to a holiday in Azad Kashmir.

Intra-Kashmir travel takes place through two crossing points — Chakothi-Uri in the Muzaffarabad sector and Tetrinote-Chakan Da Bagh in Poonch sector — every Monday. while trade is done from Tuesday to Friday every week.

Pakistani and Indian officials held a meeting on Thursday to sort out irritants in the way of trade and travel.

It was decided at the meeting that the number of trucks allowed to operate in cross-LoC trade would be brought down to 40 per day from 70. The decision will take effect on Aug 8.

Trade facilitation centres on both sides will be equipped with Internet facility to enable officials to remain in touch with each other.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2017