MUZAFFARABAD: Intra-Kashmir trade from the Chakothi-Uri crossing point resumed on Tuesday after having remained suspended for one week. Around 69 trucks ferried goods from 21 listed tradable items to opposite sides of the Line of Control.

Before dispatching their goods, traders and other people connected with the activity held a special prayer meeting at the Chakothi trade terminal to celebrate the revival.

However, publicity secretary of Intra-Kashmir traders’ body Ajaz Ahmed Meer said the resumption was conditional to the settlement of dispute with the customs department.

The trade takes place from Tuesday to Friday every week between Chakothi-Uri in Muzaffarabad division and Tetrinote-Chakanda Bagh in Poonch division.

On Dec 26, traders had suspended the activity from the Chakothi-Uri point in protest against the alleged hostile treatment by police and customs department in Punjab.

The move was reciprocated by traders in India-held Kashmir (IHK) “to show solidarity with their counterparts” in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

According to Mr Meer, the customs department would “ambush and confiscate” their trucks and auction their goods for non-payment of duties despite the fact that intra-Kashmir trade was initiated under a zero-tariff regime.

Lately, the customs department had also lodged an FIR against 46 traders at a Rawalpindi police station following a scuffle between them after which five people were arrested and later released on bail.

However, tempers calmed down after representatives of traders met Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Tariq Pasha to sort out the issues “haunting” them for a long time.

It was decided in the meeting that a ‘high-level committee’ comprising officials and representatives from the AJK government, customs department and traders would be constituted before Jan 15 to settle the issues regarding trade from both crossing points, Mr Meer said.

“We highly value the commitment of Mr Pasha and express the hope that he would get the dispute between traders and customs department resolved at the earliest to protect the Kashmir-specific confidence-­building measure between Pakistan and India that had not only brought people closer to each other but also generated livelihood for tens of hundreds of families on either side,” he said.

According to trade facilitation officer retired Major Tahir Kazmi in Chakothi, some 35 trucks from AJK and 34 trucks from IHK transported goods to Chakothi and Salamabad terminals on the opposite sides.

After unloading goods, the trucks also returned to their respective sides in the afternoon, in accordance with the standard operating procedure, he said.

An official at the Tetrinote crossing point told Dawn that five trucks from AJK and 28 from IHK ferried goods to opposite sides.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2018