54 PoK residents arrive in Poonch in cross-LoC bus

Over 50 residents of Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK) travelled by a cross-LoC bus to reach Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district today, officials said.
The bus service had on November 6 resumed operations after remaining suspended for nearly four months owing to heavy shelling by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control in Poonch district.
"As many as 54 PoK residents travelled to this side through Chakan-Da-Bagh. The bus plied empty from this side," the officials said.
After resumption of the service last week, only 20 PoK residents had travelled by the bus.
The bus service was suspended on July 10 after heavy shelling by Pakistan which also forced suspension of the trade which usually takes place for four days a week beginning Tuesday.

The trade also resumed between the two sides last week following a meeting between senior civil officials from Poonch and PoK near on November 3.
The bus service was started along the Srinagar- Muzaffarabad road in April 2005 and the Poonch-Rawalakot route on June 20, 2006 to facilitate trade and travel between Jammu and Kashmir and PoK.
The trade between the two parts of Kashmir started in October 2008 on the barter system.