Srinagar, Dec 17 (UNI) The Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), left here on Monday morning to cross over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC) at Uri despite tense situation following strike called by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) against Pulwama killings.
Three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), including an Army deserter and a soldier were killed in an encounter on Saturday. During the subsequent clashes seven persons were killed in security force firing. The JRL later called for a general strike for three days from Saturday against these killings.
The weekly bus left Bemina, Srinagar, with eight passengers, including four residents of Kashmir and four POK returnees, official sources told UNI. The bus has since reached Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) at Uri, where more passengers will board it before leaving for Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC, he said adding the exact number of passengers crossing over to POK will be known in the afternoon.
Similarly, the number of passengers travelling from POK will also be known in the evening. However, they said the number of POK residents, travelling to meet their relatives separated in 1947 due to partition, comes down during winter when the temperature goes down to below freezing point. During summer it witness increase when the weather remains pleasant in Kashmir. Similarly the number of Kashmiri residents visiting POK increases during winter and goes down in summer.
The bus was introduced on April 7,2005 after India and Pakistan governments agreed to allow travel of separated families on “ Travel Permits” instead of International passports. The bus has since helped thousands of families, separated due to partition, to meet each other.
UNI BAS PS 0934