Karvaan-e-Aman cancelled on Pakistan's request

Srinagar, Mar 2 (UNI) The ''Karvaan-e-Aman (Caravan of Peace)'' between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, scheduled for today, was cancelled after Pakistan intimated the authorities here that it was not ready for the crossing due to ''some technical problems'', officials said.

''We were intimated by the Pakistan authorities that there are certain technical problems on their side and as such asked for cancellation of today's service,'' they said.

The officials said the Pakistani authorities informed that there were landslides at various places between Muzaffarabad and Chakothi, the last border point from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The landslides would take some time to clear, the Pakistani officials said.

This would have been the first cross-border bus run after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on February 20, formally inaugurated the re-erected Kaman Aman Setu (peace bridge) along the Line of Control (LoC).

The 220-metre and 40-ton bridge at the Kaman Post, connecting Jammu and Kashmir with PoK, was extensively damaged due to a devastating earthquake on October 8 last year which killed tens and thousands of people and rendered millions homeless on both sides of the divide.

The 170-km Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, also known as the Jhelum Valley road, had also got totally cut off due to the catastrophic temblor.

The last trans-Kashmir bus on February 17 carried on board 37 passengers from PoK side while only two people from here crossed over to the other side.

This was the first time since the launch of the cross-border bus service on April 7 last year that only two passengers had boarded the caravan of peace from Jammu and Kashmir.

UNI AG RA DB1918