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Opening more routes on LOC may prove beneficial for traders in J&K 6/15/2016 11:21:11 PM Well traders in Jammu and Kashmir and those in Pakistan occupied Kashmir have welcomed the decision of the Government of India for setting up more points for boosting cross-LOC trade.What is music to the ears of those traders who have been engaged in cross-LOC trade for the last several years is the plan of the Government of India to set up banking and communication facilities.Till date these traders bank on barter system which they would find not lucrative. More crossing points are expected to be opened on the Line of Control (LoC) for greater movement of people and goods to and from Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK) and banking system is likely to be introduced for trade, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today. "The state government has taken up the matter regarding opening of more cross-LoC points with the centre and I am sure there will be positive movement forward on the issue as serious discussions are on in this regard," Mehbooba informed the Legislative Council.She said during her recent meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, she had pitched for opening of Suchetgarh-Sialkote, Kargil-Skardu, Nowshera-Mirpur, Gurez-Astoor-Gilgit, Chhamb-Jourian and some other cross-LoC routes in Jammu and Kashmir."I am hopeful that, if not all at a time, one or two at a time will be opened, so that we can send Basmati from Jammu to there," the Chief Minister said while intervening during the reply to a question regarding the measures taken by the government to expand the ambit of cross-LoC travel and trade.She said the confidence building measures like opening of more cross-LoC points will not only help consolidate peace efforts but also boost local economy through increased tourism activities in these areas.Giving examples of items which can be traded, Mehbooba said Pakistan has no hardware industry while Jammu has a hardware industry and the State can benefit from the export of such material."Nothing is manufactured there (in Pakistan). They import everything including big cars. From a needle to an airplane, they import everything. But if the road is opened, it will benefit us. The same way, if Kargil-Skardu route is opened, we can go to central Asia via that road," she said Mehbooba has talked about the centre Government's assurance that banking facilities and communication system be introduced for the benefit of the traders. Hitherto those traders who remained engaged in the cross-LOC trade had come to the conclusion that in the absence of banking facilities the Cross-LOC trade was not lucrative because they had to bank on the barter system. But setting up banking facilities along with communication facilities cannot be a unilateral decision on the part of Government of India.It is a two-way traffic and Pakistan has to support India's plan to set up banking and cofacilities.Similary opening of more crossing points for trade and travel has to be a two way traffic.Pakistan supported India when it opened two border points for people to people contact and for trade.And similarly Islamabad has to support New Delhi whenever it opts for opening of more crossing points for promoting trade and tourism..Mehbooba Mufti has suggested to New Delhi,during her recent meeting with the Union Home Minister,Rajnath Singh,that besides Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh routes, opened several years ago for trade and for promoting people to people contact, Suchetgarh and Chamlyal be also opened for people to people contact and trade.Well during the last 70 years Chamlyal has been a crossing point for pilgrims to the shrine situated on this side of the International Border. Mehbooba has a plan of upgrading the Suchetgarh-Sialkot border route into the one set up at Wagah in Amritsar in Punjab.She has already suggested to the DG BSF that he should introduce Wagah type march past at Suchetgarh which could be witnessed by a large number of people from both sides of the border.But it is not within the powers of the DG BSF to start Wagah type march past.The decision has tobe supported first by India and later by Pakistan.This way plan for promoting trade and tourism,in fact there cannot be more tourists from the two sides but it could be people to people contact,a sort of a contact between the estranged families,if both India and Pakistan agree to Mehbooba's plan. Well the Government of India has nothing to lose anyway. Judged by the trade worth Rs.2800 crores steps need to be taken to promote cross-LOC trade.The level of cross-LOC trade can go high if the two sides set up banking and communication facilities.In fact if Mehbooba is to be believed more goods could be exported to Pakistan occupied Kashmir than the ones imported from across the LOC because Pakistan banks on heavy imports. Apart from economic benefits cross-LOC trade and tourism could promote confidence building measures between the two sides which may shed a lot of misgivings and misunderstanding between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar and between New Delhi and Islamabad.   Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network     Comment on this Story

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