MUZAFFARABAD, July 6: The AJK government has informed the ministry of foreign affairs that its senior officials would not be available for the meeting to be held on July 11 to finalise arrangements for Muzaffarabad-Srinagar truck service, it was learnt here on Thursday.

The sixth inter-ministerial meeting, to be chaired by foreign ministry’s additional secretary (Asia Pacific), is to discuss issues relating to the truck service, including the list of permitted goods, implementation of zero-tariff regime for the intra-Kashmir trade; visit of the AJK Chambers of Commerce and Industry delegation to the Indian held territory and construction of a road for the service, official sources told Dawn.

The ministry had invited AJK chief secretary Kashif Murtaza, commissioner Muzaffarabad division Salim Bismil and additional secretary services and general administration Khawaja Shafique Ahmed to attend the meeting.

But since the proposed meeting is coinciding with the AJK general elections, none of these officials will be in a position to attend it.

“We have, however, requested the ministry to fix a new date in view of our election engagements,” the sources said.