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Cross Line of Control peace bus suspended over drugs stand-off

Indo-Pak standoff deepened on Monday when Pakistan forced the suspension of Cross LoC (Line of Control) peace bus on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road over release of its bus driver accused of smuggling drugs.

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Indo-Pak standoff deepened on Monday when Pakistan forced the suspension of Cross LoC (Line of Control) peace bus on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road over release of its bus driver accused of smuggling drugs.

Why was the bus service suspended?
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) authorities refused to allow the peace bus to ply given the tension between the two sides after J&K police arrested a Pakistani driver for smuggling 10 kilograms of banned drugs from Muzaffarabad on Friday.
"The bus service remained suspended on Monday. We could not ply the bus because they (PoK authorties) did not allow it," Talat Parvez, deputy commissioner of Baramulla, told dna.

How many people were supposed to travel by peace bus?
Nine people were supposed to travel to PoK in the Karwan-e-Aman bus while 10 passengers were to arrive from Muzaffarabad on Monday. Karawan-e-Aman bus plies from Srinagar and Muzaffarabad every Monday through Kaman Post along the Line of Control in Uri sector of north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

Why is Karwan-e-Aman bus important?
Started in 2005, the Karawan-e-Aman bus is one the biggest confidnece that enabled reuniting the divided families living on both sides of the Line of Control. There are two cross-LoC routes on which the peace bus rolls in Jammu and Kashmir every week. Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was opened in April 2005 which was followed by opening of Poonch-Rawlakote road in Jammu region a year later.

When did the tension start?
Tension started on Friday when police arrested a Pakistani trucker for smuggling 10 kilograms of banned drugs from Muzaffarabad. The drugs were filled in small packets and meticulously concealed inside the orange boxes so that police do not get a whiff of it.
PoK officials later detained 50 Indian cross-LoC truckers in retaliation to the arrest of a Pakistani driver. The PoK authorities are demanding the release of all the 22 PoK drivers, including the accused, before they would release 50 Indian drivers.
Indian officials said there are no restrictions on 21 PoK drivers who can return homes but not the person involved in drug trafficking. "We are willing to allow the 21 trucks to return. Only the person involved in the crime has to be detained," said Talat.

Is there any hope to restart the bus?
All eyes are set on the next Monday when the next peace bus is scheduled to roll again on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route. "We will talk to them (PoK authorities) and hope the bus plies again next week," said Talat.

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