103 passengers of "Karvan-e-Aman" cross sides in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 24 (UNI) Altogether 65 passengers on board '' Karvan-e- Aman'' bus between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), crossed sides today at the Kaman post, the last Indian post on the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector.

Official sources said 55 passengers left here this morning amid unprecedented security arrangement following the recovery of a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Lawaypora on the Srinagar-Uri road.

The passengers included 24 fresh visitors, who are visiting POK for the first time to meet their relatives since 1947.Thirty-one passengers, who had arrived here in last bus, are going back to their homes after meeting their relatives here.

The passengers were taken to Kaman Post on LoC in Special State Road Transport Corporation buses from here. However, they deboard the buses near the post and reached the other side of the LoC after crossing the Aman Setu bridge on foot. They were later taken to Muzaffarabad in PoK buses.

Sources said only one citizen of POK arrived here today through the Aman setu in the bus along with 47 citizen of this part of the Kashmir who had gone there (PoK) in last bus to meet their relatives.

The passengers who arrived here too have to cross the Aman Setu on foot.

Police detected and defused a powerful IED at Lawaypora on the bus route about half-an hour before the Karvan-e-Aman, carrying the Muzaffarabad bound passengers passed the area.

The cross-border bus service between the divided Kashmir was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 7, 2005 after nearly 58 years following agreement between India and Pakistan to allow families separated since 1947 to meet each other.

The 170-km Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, also known as the Jhelum Valley road, was closed for traffic on October 27, 1947 when ''Kabailis (tribesmen)'' invaded parts of Jammu and Kashmir which came to be known as PoK.

UNI