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News of Jan
5, 2007
Azad for Opening Up
More Cross-border Routes
Jammu,
Jan 5
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has urged Foreign
Minister Pranab Mukherjee to discuss opening of more cross-border
points when he visits Pakistan next week, an official spokesperson
said here Friday.
Azad made this plea when he met Mukherjee in New Delhi Thursday and
added that this would boost Kashmir-specific confidence building
measures (CBMs) with Pakistan.
Issues related to Jammu and Kashmir are likely to come up during
Mukherjee's discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Khursheed
Mehmood Kasuri.
"During the deliberations, focus was on opening up additional
trans-India-Pakistan border passenger travel routes, including
Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkot and Jhanger-Mirpur (Nowshera)," the
spokesperson said.
At present, two routes - Srinagar-Muzzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote
- are functional. But the frequency of travel on these routes is
once a fortnight. Less than 1,000 people have crossed over to either
side of the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Jammu and Kashmir
between India and Pakistan, since the routes were opened.
Srinagar-Muzzaffarabad road was opened April 7, 2005, and
Poonch-Rawlakote June 20, 2006.
"Azad also reiterated the need for the early start of trans-LoC
trade through the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, describing it as a
major economic step and important CBM," the official said.
The chief minister also discussed the long-pending visit of a team
from Jammu and Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industries to
Pakistan, and pilgrim tourism to revered shrines of Kashmiri Pandits
and Sikhs in Pakistan administered Kashmir.
Trade through the cross-LoC route has been hanging fire for the past
eight months. Pakistan has not cleared the list of businessmen from
Jammu and Kashmir for their visit to Pakistan- administered Kashmir.
India, however, has cleared the names of nearly 100 Pakistani
businessmen.
The Pakistani foreign minister had in November attributed the delay
to the "petty-mindedness of some small officials".
The Hindu shrine of Sharda Devi in Pakistan administered Kashmir is
revered by Kashmiri Pandits, but they have not got permission to
visit it even though the Srinagar-Muzzaffarabad route was opened in
April 2005.
IANS
News of Jan
5, 2007
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