Srinagar, Apr 1 (UNI) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and people associated with cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade have welcomed the resumption of India and Pakistani trading relations.
A PDP spokesman said the party welcomes the resumption of Indo-Pak trading relations.
Broadening the scope of engagements is pivotal for the restoration of durable peace in the subcontinent, he said.
“We urge the governments of both countries to earnestly work out the modalities for resumption of Cross- LoC trade at the earliest.
Meanwhile, traders who were associated with the cross-LoC demanded early resumption of trade between the two countries between Uri in north Kashmir and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Traders said hundreds of traders and other workers associated with the trade have lost their jobs and are facing starvation. We have taken a loan from the banks for the trade, they said adding due to suspension of the trade they could not repay the loan. We welcome the resumption of the Indo-Pak trade and hope that the Uri-Muzaffarabad link will also be opened.
Cross-LoC trade between Uri and Muzaffarabad was suspended in April 2019 following directions by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after intelligence agencies reported that the trade was being used for terror funding and smuggling of drugs.
Over a dozen cross-LoC traders were arrested and their houses and establishments raided by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kashmir, Jammu, Delhi and Punjab.
The trade service between two separated parts of the united Jammu and Kashmir resumed in 2008, the first time since 1947 after the India and Pakistan government agreed to allow the trade of local goods among the traders from both sides of the divided line.
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