Trade comes to a halt following ceasefire violation in Poonch of Jammu

The movement of goods between the traders of Jammu and Kashmir and PoK came to halt on Wednesdy in the wake of mortar shelling and firing by Pakistan on LoC posts in Poonch district of the state, particularly Chakan-Da-Bagh based Trade facilitation Centre.

Guns fell silent today after the two-day long intermittent ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops, which resorted to shelling of 82 mm mortar bombs and firing by small and automatic weapons on army posts and civilian areas in Poonch district, forcing army troops give befitting reply on Sunday and Monday.

“There was no firing and shelling today. Silence prevailed along LoC,” an army officer said.

“The LoC trade between India and Pakistan has come to halt following ceasefire violation. There was no LoC trade today,” a senior police officer said.

On the India side, trucks carrying goods and fruits reached the LoC crossing point on Poonch-Rawalakote road between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir but the doors of the gate were not opened from other side and there was no response from Pakistan side.

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“Trucks loaded with material from Poonch side reached LoC point, Pakistan side did not respond,” an officer of cross-LoC trade said, adding that the trucks returned back following no response from that side.

The LoC trade is unlikely to take place tomorrow too. Cross LoC travel between Poonch-Rawalakote was suspended

yesterday following heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch, particularly on Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) in Chakan Da Bagh, which suffered damage in the shelling by Pakistan troops.

Over 20 trucks from each side are allowed to cross the LoC everyday as part of the trade which takes place between the two sides on barter system for four days a week between Tuesday-Friday. As a precautionary measure, middle schools along LoC in some areas remained closed.