Indo-Pak rancour hits movement of Kashmiris across LoC

JAMMU: The prevailing tension between India and Pakistan following Mumbai terror strikes has hit the movement of Kashmiris across Line of Control.
    
Only 297 Kashmiris travelled from either side of the LoC in December 2008 as compared to 443 in the preceding month of November, official sources said. Of the 297 members, 234 were Indians and 63 were PoK dwellers, the sources said.

Of the total 9,208 members of divided families, who crossed border since the process started on April 7, 2005, 4,149 travelled via Kaman post on Uri-Muzaffarabad Road in
Baramulla district of north Kashmir, while 5,059 people travelled on Poonch-Rawalkote trans-LoC bus service via Chakan-da-bagh crossing point in Poonch district by the end of 2008, they said.

The Poonch-Rawalakote trans-LoC bus service was launched between Poonch (j&k) and Rawalkote (PoK) to facilitate travel of divided family members of J&K on june 20, 2006 under the confidence building measure undertaken by the two neighbouring countries.

Of these 5,059 travellers, 2,132 of them travelled from J&K to meet and stay with their relatives in PoK for a fortnight during the period, they said. Due to heavy rush and large number of the pending cases, the frequency of travel was increased from fortnightly to
weekly basis from September 8 last year.