Alleged drug haul: LoC trade remains suspended for second consecutive day

AJK official seeks justification for the detention of drivers.

MUZAFFARABAD:

The cross Line of Control (LoC) trade remained suspended for the second day on Wednesday as the standoff continues over the arrest of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) truck driver who was booked by Indian held Jammu and Kashmir administration over the alleged smuggling of drugs on Friday.

The AJK Cross LoC Travel and Trade Authority (Tata) had already rejected the charges against the arrested driver.

Indian authorities have detained 49 trucks and crews from AJK and on this side of divide the AJK administration has held up 27 Indian trucks and crews when Indian authorities allegedly recovered drugs from one of the trucks coming from Azad Kashmir.

Trucks loaded with tradable goods move across LoC four days a week from Tuesday to Friday between Indian Kashmir and Azad Kashmir.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that no vehicle has crossed LoC since Friday.



They said the Trade Facilitation Officer (TFO) at Chakothi terminal has contacted his counterpart in Indian Kashmir on phone seeking proof of alleged drugs the Indian authorities recovered from one of the 49 trucks.

The sources further said that TFO Chakothi told his Indian Kashmir counterpart that they cannot detain any person without proof, as court and police demand evidence against the crime of the detainee.  Tata on Friday evening got arrested Fayaz Ahmad, the man who had generated the invoice of the truck seized in held Kashmir.

According to officials Indian Kashmir administration has not provided proper bedding to the 48 drivers of AJK who sleep in freezing temperature inside the trucks at Trade Facilitation Centre Salamabad, Uri.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2014.