Lacks of speedy clearances of passengers affect bus service between India and Pakistan

Even after conflict along the Line of Control (LoC) scaled down between India and Pakistan, Poonch-Rawalakot Bus service travelled with just two passengers across the border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The bus services resumed last week after being suspended in retaliation to the arrest of a Pakistan truck driver, detained by the security forces in January while he was allegedly trying to cross the border with 114 packets of brown sugar in Kaman post area of Kashmir.

However, trade services across the border have still not opened up because of which passengers are wary of availing the bus service to travel across the border.

Custodian of Cross LOC Travel and Trade at Poonch, Chakan Da Bagh Crossing Point, Mohammed Bashir Lone, said that clearances from the neighbouring country take a lot of time and are not upto the mark.

"We protested that almost 9000 people from Pakistran have visited India whereas only 4000 people have gone to Pakistan. The clearances from Pakistan are very slow and not speedy. Since the time the travel bus service has started, till date 9000 nationals from Pakistan-occupied have already come. This clearly shows that the clearances from India are on fast track," said Ahmad.