J&K to offer steel bars, cement to quake-hit PoK

Jammu, Feb 18 (UNI) Looking forward towards opening of trans-Line Of Control (LOC) trade, Jammu and Kashmir would offer steel bars, cement and paints to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

A 28-member trade delegation from PoK, which is likely to be on first ever visit here in the last week of this month or in the first quarter of March 2007, would work out the modalities with the traders and manufacturers in J and K, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Ram Sahai told UNI.

''Though we have not received the exact schedule of (trade delegation's) visit yet, but we are very much hopeful of their expected tour,'' he said.

He said the J and K traders and manufacturers had added steel bars, cement and paints in the ''list of items'' for PoK, to help it rebuild infrastructure destroyed by the killer earthquake in October 8, 2005.

''We can easily transport steel, cement and paints to PoK via Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route. This will cost less to PoK people, than what they buy from Karachi.'' The traders and manufacturers from entire Jammu and Kashmir are in close coordination to make the opportunity a success and open the avenues of the exchange of trade between the business community of either side of the LOC, the president said.

The trans-LOC trade between two separated parts, if started, would help carry forward the peace process between India and Pakistan, Mr Sahai said.

He said the state would also like to import pulses, spices, rock salt from PoK.

According to reports, PoK's Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) president Zulfiqar Abbasi will lead 25 industrialists and businessmen, two journalists and a Secretary of Industry Chamber in the trade delegation, which will arrive here by Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus.

The first-ever visit of the PoK trade delegation during last 60 years would be a major breakthrough in the wake of the ongoing Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) initiated by India and Pakistan.

UNI