Pakistan army 'bans' trade with India, trucks stopped at border

As a sign of further escalation of tension between the two countries, Pakistan today stopped cross border trade and travel between people of Jammu Kashmir living on both sides of Line of Control (LoC).

According to Custodian, LOC Trade at Chakkan Da Bagh in Poonch, Abdul Hamid, Pakistan side this evening rang up the Trade Facilitating Officer on this side of the border saying that they would do any trade until present tension between the two countries continue. Yesterday, over two dozen trucks had gone to PoK from this side of LoC through Chakkan Da Bagh against the arrival of only four trucks from that side.

As such there will be no cross LoC bus between the two sides on Monday, he added.

The Pakistan's refusal to cross LOC trade and bus service has come in the wake of strong reactions from India to the killing of its two jawans by Pakistani troops in Mendhar.

PTI adds: 25 trucks carrying goods, mostly vegetables, from India were not allowed to cross the LoC and enter Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir at Chakan-Da-Bagh, officials of the Trade Facilitation Center (TFC) at Poonch said.

As the trucks carrying goods for POK traders reached Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point to enter the trade center at Rawalakote (POK) after clearance at TFC, the Pakistan army did not open the gates and conveyed this to Indian Army authorities at the point.

With the stranding of 25 trucks, a total of 65 trucks are now lined up waiting to move into POK from Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point. Most of these trucks are carrying perishable goods, particularly vegetables.

Two Indian jawans were brutally killed in a raid by 29 Baloch Regiment troops of Pakistan who had intruded into Indian territory in Poonch sector on January 8.

This is the second time LoC trade has come a halt after the Pakistan Army refused to open the gates during the past 8 months.

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