Pakistani acting high commissioner summoned over trade stoppage

India Tuesday evening summoned the acting high commissioner of Pakistan over the stoppage of cross-border trade and bus services by Pakistan in the wake of the arrest of a Pakistani truck driver for alleged drug trafficking.

Mansoor Ahmad was summoned Tuesday evening to the Ministry of External Affairs in connection with the recent stoppage of trans-LoC trade and bus services, said official sources.

Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin termed the stoppage "surprising."

He said while the foreign ministries of the two sides are working towards resolving the matter through diplomatic channels "it is indeed surprising that Pakistan chose to hold hostage trans-LoC trade and travel bringing immense humanitarian benefits to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, for the sake of persons indulging in drug trafficking".

Last week, authorities at Salamabad trade facilitation centre on the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir's Baramulla district had recovered over 100 kg of narcotics from a truck plying from Pakistan purportedly with a load of almonds.

Pakistan has claimed diplomatic immunity for the truck driver.

On Jan 18, when 27 trucks from India went across with goods to Pakistan, they were not allowed to return.

The Pakistan authorities also indicated that they would not allow the Srinagar-Muzzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakote bus services to run till the impounded truck and arrested driver were released, said sources.