Cross LoC trade restored a day after ceasefire violation

SRINAGAR : A day after cross LoC trade was suspended after ceasefire violation in Uri sector, trade activities were resumed on Friday, with 26 trucks leaving for Muzuffarabad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and 16 trucks arriving at the Trade Centre Salamabad in Uri.

The ceasefire violation in north Kashmir's Uri and Machil sectors on Thursday had left one soldier dead and two others injured. Both Indian and Pakistani Army used light machine guns and shells to target each other’s posts on the front line.

Senior superintendent of police, Imtiaz Hussain said no ceasefire violation was reported in Uri on Friday. "Officials at Salamabad Trade Centre said 26 trucks loaded with different items left in the morning while 14 trucks from Muzuffarabad arrived at Salamabad.

VILLAGERS PRAY FOR PEACE

Locals in Uri said exchange of firing took place on the forward posts in Kamalkote sector on Thursday and a few shells landed close to a residential house damaging a shed.

“Whenever there is ceasefire violation on the LoC, it’s the villagers living close to the LoC who get perturbed. We have witnessed the destruction caused by the cross LoC firing in the past. After the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, peace was restored and we pray for it to be everlasting, ’’Zaffar Ahmad, a resident of Kamalkote, said.

Despite ceasefire violations, it is the cross LoC bus service and trade which had helped in restoring normalcy in the area.

The bus service also known as Karvan-e-Aman which was started in 2005 and cross LoC trade which began three years later in 2008, has been termed as the biggest Confidence Building Measure between India and Pakistan since the partition.

ARMY PAYS TRIBUTE TO JAWAN

The Indian Army on Friday paid tribute to gunner Rajesh Kumar who was killed at the LOC in Machil on Thursday. Kumar had sustained bullet injuries during ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Machil sector and was evacuated to 92 Base Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

BSF BIDS ADIEU TO SOLDIER

The Border Security Force on Friday paid their last respects to constable Prosenjit Biswas, who was killed in unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Sunderbani area along the LoC in Rajouri district on Thursday.

A wreath laying ceremony was held at BSF Frontier headquarters, where BSF Jammu frontier IG Ram Awtar and other senior officers paid their respects to Biswas.

A CEASEFIRE VIOLATION IN NORTH KASHMIR’S URI AND MACHIL ON THURSDAY HAD LEFT ONE SOLDIER DEAD AND TWO OTHERS INJURED