Trade through centuries-old Jehlum valley road resumes, trucks left for occupied Kashmir

MIRPUR (AJK) Oct. 21 (APP): Yet another historic chapter was added to the history of Jammu & Kashmir as well as  India and Pakistan Tuesday when the first truck from here crossed the Aman Setu bridge following an agreement between the two neighbors to resume trade ties between  both sides of the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir.

A large number of locals, traders and media persons, representing national, international and local organizations became witness to this historic moment when Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and occupied Jammu Kashmir’s puppet Governor N N Vohra flagged off the first truck from their respective sides.

At other side of the LoC a group of elderly people from nearby villages could not control their emotions when the trucks, fully decorated, left for AJK, according to reports reaching here Tuesday evening.

“t was like a dream come true for us to see resumption of trade ties again with the  Azad Jammu Kashmir, said Abdul Gaffar, who has a number of relations on other side of the LoC”, the report said.  He said it was on this day Srinagar-Muzaffarabad-Rawalpindi road was closed in 1947.

The trucks coming from across LoC were carrying fresh and dry fruit, pulses and Kashmiri crafts to this side.

The trucks from Chakothi traveled  upto trade felicitation center (TFC) at Salamabad at the forward village of Uri, through Aman Setu bridge, where they were off loaded at the designated TFC. Similarly trucks from Salamaabad traveled up to Rs. Seven million Chakothi TFC this side  to get unloaded.