Cross-LoC trade comes to a halt after Indian drug bust claim

The narcotics are allegedly recovered in the held valley at Trade Centre Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla

MUZAFFARABAD: The trans-Line of Control (LoC) trade between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar came to a halt on Friday after authorities in the Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IOK) claimed recovery of a “large quantity of narcotics” from a truck from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The narcotics were allegedly recovered in the held valley at Trade Centre Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla.

While the IOK authorities provided no evidence of the drugs recovery to authorities in AJK, they have impounded the truck and taken its driver into custody. There are also reports of a case having been registered against the driver.

On Friday, 14 trucks from AJK crossed LoC from Chakothi village while 29 from IOK entered AJK.

“IOK trade authorities and police claimed to have recovered 66kg of narcotic drugs from the AJK truck bearing number AJKXA-267 during checking,” said Hameed Kayani, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Jhelum Valley.

“We have not been provided any evidence by the IOK authorities about recovery of the drugs. They seized the truck and arrested driver Syed Yousaf, son of Ali Akbar, resident of Muzaffarabad,” the DC added.

Cross-LoC trade: Pakistan asked to pursue truck detention case

He further said that the IOK authorities claimed to have recovered the narcotics from hidden cavities in boxes of mercantile goods in the AJK truck.

According to the DC, the truck and its driver are in the custody of IOK police in Baramulla; and as per reports, an FIR has also been registered against the driver.

“We have identified the trader in AJK whose truck was seized in IOK. The Travel and Trade Authority officials have also been asked to immediately share details of the cross-LoC trader and his invoice of goods with the district administration,” he said.

Kayani said that trucks from both the sides did not return to their respective areas till the filing of this report.

The trade between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar started in October 2008 and was the main confidence-building measure between Islamabad and New Delhi.