66 passengers of Karvan-e-Aman bus cross sides in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 17 (UNI) As many as 66 passengers of Karvan-e-Aman bus crossed sides at Kaman, the last Indian military post on the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector in north Kashmir today, official sources said.

They said 33 passengers from here boarded the buses at an undisclosed place this morning for Kaman post under tight security arrangements.

Of these 18 passengers were returning to their homes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) after their meeting with relatives here for the first time since 1947 partition.

They said 15 passengers were travelling to POK for the first time to meet their relatives across the border since their separation 60 years ago.

Sources said despite rain, the passengers deboarded the buses on this side of the border and crossed the Kaman post bridge on foot to reach the other side. They were later taken to Muzaffarabad, the capital of POK in buses belonging to (POK-administration).

Similarly, sources said, 33 passengers also arrived here after crossing the bridge on foot from the other side of the LoC.

The returnee passengers, included 25 citizen of this side, who had crossed over to POK for meeting their relatives there.

Sources said a fresh batch of only eight citizens of POK arrived here this time to meet relatives.

The trans border bus service, suspended in 1947, was resumed on April 7, 2005, after the first bus was flagged off by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

The bus service played successfully despite threats by a number of militant outfits. However, it was suspended for about a month when the Kaman post bridge and road on other side was damaged in the devastating earthquake on October 8, 2005, which claimed one lakh lives on either side of the border.

UNI BAS ASM SP RS1832