JK to offer steel bars, cement to quake-hit PoK

Jammu, Feb 19: Jammu and Kashmir will offer steel bars, cement and paints to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) with the start of the trans-line of control (LoC), an industry leader said.

The trans-LoC trade, if started, would also help carry forward the peace process between India and Pakistan, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) president Ram Sahai told UNI.

Mr Sahai said 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.

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

He said the J and K traders and manufacturers had decided to provide steel bars, cement and paints for PoK, to help it rebuild its 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,'' he said.

The traders and manufacturers from entire Jammu and Kashmir are in close coordination to make the opportunity a success and open avenues for trade exchange between the business community of either side of the loc, the CCI president said.

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

According to reports, PoK's Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Zulfiqar Abbasi will lead the 28-member trade delegation, which will include two journalists and a secretary of Industry Chamber, apart from industrialists and businessmen.

UNI