'Travel b/w India, Pak should made be easy'

Jammu, May 22: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and patron of National Conference Farooq Abdullah has urged India and Pakistan to ease travel restrictions to facilitate free movement of thousands of divided families across the Line of Control(LoC).

Addressing a public meeting in tehsil Mendhar of Poonch district yesterday, Dr Abdullah said, ''travel formalities between Srinagar- Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakote should be made easy so that people of both the countries can move freely across the border.'' ''We want travel between two parts to be eased on the pattern of European Union without any restrictions '', Dr Abdullah said, adding that instead of travel permit the visitors on both sides should be allowed to move freely across the border by using their Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC).

''I pray that the visit of Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Pakistan will bring good results and will be step a ahead in strengthening the CBMs,'' the NC patron said.

UNI