SRINAGAR: The Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), remained suspended on Monday since March 24, official sources said.
The cross-Line of Control (LoC) bus, introduced as one of the major Confidence Building Measure (CBM) by Pakistan and India in 2005, remained suspended today since March 4 after it was reported that Aman Setu peace bridge was still under repair at Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC.
The bus has helped thousands of families, divided since 1947 due to partition to meet each other. It was also decided to allow residents from both sides to travel on “Travel Permits” instead of International passports.
Despite opposition by militants, almost all separatist leaders, barring hardline Hurriyat Conference (HC) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah, travelled in the bus to POK.
Cross-LoC trade also remained suspended since March 4. However, later trade was also officially suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after intelligence reports that trade was being used by anti-national elements for violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
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