The Hindu : Front Page : LoC opened as India sends relief to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 08, 2005

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LoC opened as India sends relief to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

Luv Puri

Teargas shells fired to disperse crowds wanting to cross over the divide

Chakan Da Bagh/Titrinote (Line of Control): The Line of Control was opened on Monday as Indian relief material made its way to quake-devastated Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This is the first time in the history of the sub-continent that the LoC has been opened for the movement of goods as per the recent agreement signed between India and Pakistan.

Symbolism was high as Army commanders shook hands and exchanged white flags. The entire administrative and police machinery from both sides of the LoC was present.

Officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Government led by Divisional Commissioner B.R. Sharma handed over a list of relief material to a PoK team led by Deputy Commissioner Rawalakot (PoK) Sardar Mohammad Farooq.

Trucks sent

Twenty-seven trucks with 300 tents, 3,000 tarpaulins, medicines, rice and wheat was sent by the Government. Pakistan sent one truck of relief material for the quake victims on the Indian side. The event lasted for three hours as porters from PoK transferred the goods from Indian trucks.

Boundaries disappeared for the moment as officials and scribes crossed over into each other's territory.

Sardar Mohammad Farooq, Deputy Commissioner, Rawalakot (PoK), said, "I had never thought that in my life I could cross the Line of Control. I cannot express my feelings." In Rawalakote 1,800 people had been killed, he said, adding that the relief material had come at the right time as winter had set in.

Brigadier Tahir Naqvi, who was commanding the Pakistani troops, said: "The event speaks for itself. It is true that in the past we have been in military mode on both sides of the Line of Control and fought each other. Now we have orders from our commanders to cooperate with Indian soldiers for the purpose of relief."

Thousands of people gathered at Titrinote (PoK), close to the Line of Control adjoining Chakan Da Bagh on the Indian side, and made fervent requests to the Pakistani Army personnel to let them cross the LoC to meet their relatives. As the people headed towards the LoC intending to cross over, the Pakistan Army fired tear gas shells in the air to keep them away. A man and his son broke the cordon of the Pakistani Army and walked through the mine-marked belt to cross the LoC. But they were stopped just metres from the LoC and taken into custody.

Senior Superintendent of Police Rawalakote (PoK) Nassir Ahmed said: "Thousands have collected on our side since early morning with the hope that they would be able to meet their long-separated relatives on your side. We cannot allow these people as there are no orders yet. But certainly the day is not far off, as the list is being scrutinised."

Lists not received

B. Muralidhar Reddy reports from Islamabad:

Though the Titrinote-Chakandabagh route was declared open formally, no one was allowed to cross over, as India and Pakistan have not yet exchanged lists of people wanting to cross over. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam told reporters at the weekly news briefing that Islamabad was yet to receive the list of people from PoK intending to cross over to the Indian side.

"So far we have not heard any thing from Muzaffarabad and no exchange of lists with New Delhi is possible today," she said when asked about progress on the first ever LoC crossings on foot permitted since Partition.

Ms. Aslam said pending finalisation of the lists, the points would be used only to exchange relief goods.

India and Pakistan have decided to open three points on the LoC to facilitate relief work in the wake of the October 8 earthquake.

The crossing point at Kaman in Uri will open on November 9 and Tithwal in Tangdhar the next day.

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