Karvan-e-Aman bus service resume on August 21 in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 19 (UNI) The Karvan-e-Aman Bus Service between Srinagar-Muzaffarbad via Kamanpost Uri, will resume on August 21, an official announcement said today.

The service was suspended on August 14 in view of the unrest in the state due to Amarnath land row and 'Muzaffarabad Chalo'.

This was for the first time the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was suspended since its inauguration by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on April 7, 2005.

However, the service remained suspended for about a month after the Amen Setu (peace bridge), on river Jhelum connecting both the Kashmiris and major portion of the road on other side was damaged in devastating earthquake on October 8, 2005.

Through this bus service, thousands of people from both sides of the Line of Control (LOC) had so far visited their relatives, separated since 1947.

The passengers from Muzaffarabad had to cover a distance of 50 km to reach Chakoti, the last military post from the Pakistani side.

The bus service between the divided Kashmir was established after 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 BAS AKJ NS1836