AgNoStiC MuSliM
ADVISORS
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2007
- Messages
- 25,259
- Reaction score
- 87
- Country
- Location
India proposes Oct 1 for start of LoC trade
NEW DELHI: India on Saturday suggested Pakistan open the Srinagar-Muzafarabad route for trade from October 1.
India also expressed its willingness to open new routes to boost trade across the Line of Control (LoC). "Our proposal for opening the LoC trade from October 1 has been forwarded to Pakistan and we are awaiting their response. Necessary steps will be taken as soon as we receive Pakistan's response," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in an interview with the All India Radio.
When asked whether the recent political upheaval in Kashmir had forced the government to consider opening the Srinagar-Muzafarabad route, Mukherjee said, "It has nothing to do with the contemporary events." Talks on this proposal had been going on for quite some time, he added.
Without giving any details, the minister said “we are also thinking of new routes" as a confidence building measure. He claimed that the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan had resumed. The two countries have had four rounds of talks so far. "I do hope the fifth round of the composite dialogue will also be concluded successfully."
Referring to the political unrest in Pakistan, he said India wants peace, stability and development in "all our neighbouring countries, including Pakistan".
Mukherjee favoured resumption of talks with the Kashmiri separatists and Hurriyat leaders, but added it was for the Indian-held Kashmir governor and the Home Ministry to decide whom to invite.
On holding of elections in Kashmir, the minister said, "I would not make any value judgment because it is essentially the domain of the Election Commission.”
The Indian government also proposed to Pakistan entry permits for members of the divided families of Kashmir and joint projects in tourism, environment and forestry in the two Kashmirs to boost the peace process. "Automatic permit for senior citizens and the strengthening of cultural interaction across the LoC are other confidence building measures proposed to the Pakistan government," highly placed government sources said.
"We have been pursuing these issues for quite some time. However, there has been positive response from Pakistan, " the sources said. The matter was still being pursued, he added. Referring to the resumption of the cargo service across the LoC, the sources said that the two sides had exchanged the lists of commodities for trade.
India wanted the service to start as soon as possible. However, Pakistan had raised some objections that could be settled mutually, the sources said. They said India had submitted to Pakistan a list of 14 items for import, including precious stones, Namdas and embroidery works. Similarly 23 items, including carpets, rugs and shawls, had been short-listed for export across the LoC. Sources said India had also suggested Pakistan open the Jammu-Sialkot Road. The proposal was not accepted by Islamabad, sources said, "This shows India’s eagerness to remove problems caused by the divide and usher in an era of peace and prosperity in the area.” nni
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
Good news here.
