Army refuses to open RITT for traders
By Anubhav Misri, NAK,
Chakan-Da-Bagh (Poonch) : India reportedly suspended the much hyped cross-border trade across Line of Control, in the aftermath of terrorists’ strike in Mumbai, as army refused to open the gates at Chankan-Da-Bagh, which was schedule to open today for allowing the traders to sent their goods to the other side of border.
A Jammu based trader, Rajinder Arora, had arrived here to dispatch some goods including 75 crates of tomato to one Saqil Muhammad of Kotli, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) but was denied permission by the army authorities.
Well informed sources told News Agency of Kashmir that the gates of Rangar international trade terminal were schedule to open on Tuesday for cross border trade. The district administration requested the army in the morning to open the gates of so as to pass the goods to the other side of the border.
“However, we were denied access by the army on the pretext that they have been asked not to allow any trade till further orders”, sources told NAK, preferring anonymous. They said that the suspension of the trade could in the aftermath of recent spate of terror strikes in Mumbai, which claimed more than two hundred lives.
Sources said that the complete status of the cross-border trade from Poonch would be cleared on Wednesday when the gates are again schedule to open for allowing PoK traders to sent their
On the other side the army claimed that the denial of permission of Tuesday was not having any connection with the Mumbai attack and soaring relationship with Pakistan but it was only because that the local unit of army has not received any permission till date from the Northern Command. “We have not received the permission till now”, an army officer, posted at Chakan-da-Bagh said.
Col DK Kacharya, Public Relation Officer (defence) of Northern Command, however, denied that army has any role in the cross border trade. “Army has no role in cross border trade and it is purely being controlled by the state government”, he told NAK.
The historical cross border truck services along the Poonch-Rawalakote route was launched on October 21, this year, when advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Governor H H Tayabji flagged off three trucks carrying gifts (fruits and vegetables).