88 trans-Kashmir bus passengers cross LoC at Kaman Post

Srinagar, July 19 (UNI) As many as 88 passengers crossed sides at ''Kaman Aman Setu (Peace Bridge)'' along the Line of Control (LoC) on board the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus today, official sources said.

Altogether 38 passengers -- 19 fresh and as many returnees -- left here for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on board the ''Karvaan-e-Aman (Caravan of Peace)''.

Similarly, 50 passengers -- 30 fresh and 20 returnees -- arrived here from Muzaffarabad.

The cross-border bus service from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from here on April 7 last year after nearly 58 years following an agreement reached 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