62 passengers leave for POK in Karvaan-e-Aman

Srinagar, Aug 2: As many as 62 people, including 35 resident of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) today left here for Muzaffarabad in the Karvaan-e-Aman bus under tight security arrangements.

Official sources told UNI that 35 resident of Jammu and Kashmir, who boarded the buses here for Kaman post, the last Indian military post at Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector, are going to POK for the first time to meet their relatives after more than 60 years.

This is for the first time they are visiting the other side of the border after partition in 1947 to meet their relatives, sources said.

The passengers had to deboard the buses on this side of the border and cross the Aman Setu bridge on river Jehlum on foot to reach the other side where they will board buses to reach Muzafarabad, the capital of POK.

However, it was a painful separation for 27 resident of POK who left for their homes after meeting their relatives here.

About 7,000 people have crossed sides since the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on April 7, 2005 from here.

The venue of the bus is being continuously changed for security reasons.

The bus service between divided Kashmir was established after nearly 58 years following agreement between India and Pakistan to allow families separated since 1947 to meet each other.

Security forces had checked the entire stretch for landmines and boobytraps yesterday and this morning.

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