Srinagar
The weekly Karwan-e-Aman bus service operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad Pakistan remained suspended on Monday for the eighth consecutive week.
“We have received an advisory late Sunday night to suspend the peace bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad today,” an official said.
He said that all the passengers who were scheduled to travel in the bus on Monday have been informed about the cancellation of the bus.
The Karwa-e-Aman bus service earlier was suspended due to the damaged Kaman Aman Setu Bridge which connects the India and Pakistan in Uri area of north Kashmir
The bus service, a major Confidence Building Measure (CBM) between India and Pakistan after the 1999 Kargil War, continued despite summer uprising of 2016 and tension on the LoC, due to ceasefire violation.
The cross-LoC bus service which started on April 7, 2005, has helped thousands of families to meet each other after India and Pakistan agreed to allow travel of state subjects from both sides on travel permits, instead of the international passport.
The travel permit is issued to the state subject from both sides of the LoC, only after their names are cleared by the intelligence agencies from India and Pakistan. However, only state subjects from both sides can avail the cross-LoC bus facility.
Meanwhile, cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade between J&K to POK also remained suspended since April 18 when Union Home Ministry issued an order banning trade activities till further orders.
