119 civilians cross LoC in Poonch in Jammu

Jammu, May 23 (UNI) As many as 119 civilians exchanged sides on the Line of Control from Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch district last evening since the opening of the LoC, sources said today.

This is for the first time ever since the LoC was opened for civilian crossing in November last year that 119 persons crossed the sides on a single day.

While 62 civilians left for the PoK, 57 civilians crossed into the Indian side via Poonch. The LoC point remained open till 1900 hours to facilitate checking, frisking and scrutiny of documents of the visitors.

According to the sources, the border was opened yesterday afternoon for fortnightly crossing of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Of the 62 civilians, who left Poonch for PoK, 26 were new faces while 34 others returned to their homes after meeting their family members and relatives. Two other civilians, who had come to Kashmir from Kaman Post, also left from this point, the sources said.

Among the 34 civilians from PoK, 18 had come to this side on April 24 (their stay was extended beyond a fortnight) while 16 others had come on May eight.

Of the 57 civilians, who left PoK for Poonch, 41 were new faces while 16 others returned to their homes after spending a fortnight in PoK.

Two civilians of minority community from Jammu, were also scheduled to leave for PoK. Their documents had also been approved but they did not come at the last moment.

On May 15, 67 civilians had exchanged sides on the LoC at Tatta Pani in Mendhar sector.

UNI HGV HS DS1220