Cross-LoC bus service resumes despite tensions

Srinagar: Despite growing tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, the cross-LoC bus ‘Karvan-e-Aman’ (the caravan of peace) plied between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad on Monday after remaining suspended last week.

The bus service between the two parts of Jammu and Kashmir was suspended last Monday for security reasons amid heightened tensions set off by the February 14 suicide attack.

Official sources said that five passengers from Salamabad Uri left for Muzaffarabad at around 11 am while eight passengers arrived from the other side at Trade Facili-tation Centre (Salamabad).

The weekly cross-LoC bus services resumed also at Chakan da Bagh-Rawalakot corridor on Monday with 17 passengers travelling to the other side of the de facto border. However, no fresh Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) resident came to Jammu and Kashmir. Among those who used the service to return home were 11 PoK residents whereas four J&K residents also travelled to Rawalakot to meet their relative on the other side of the LoC.  

Meanwhile, former chief minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Monday that dialogue is the only way to resolve tensions. He, however, also said that Pakistan should make strong efforts to end militancy on its soil.

“There are attempts to create war hysteria. You should pray to God to save us from war. There have been four wars, but nothing was achieved except the loss of lives,” he said while addressing party functionaries, workers and delegates at the NC headquarters here.

He said that the only way out to end the Kashmir imbroglio and tensions in the sub-continent is through dialogue. “Pakistan should try to end the militancy and it should do so strongly. If it does not do so, then that country will be labelled as a terror state which will bring miseries to its people,” he said.