Karvan-e-Aman' bus service resumes

Srinagar, Aug 13: The Karvan-e-Aman bus service, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), resumed on Monday after remaining suspended last week for security reasons, official sources said here.

The cross-Line of Control (LoC) could not operate last Monday as separatists had called for a general strike against alleged 'attempts being made to weaken the Article 35 A of the Constitution.' The Supreme Court (SC) was to hear a number of petitions challenging the Article. However, the Apex court deferred the hearing till the week starting from August 27, when it will decide whether to refer the matter to a five-judge bench or not.

The bus with 79 passengers, all Pakistani returnees, left Bemina, Srinagar, this morning for Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector.

The bus has since reached Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC), at Uri where more passengers would board it before proceeding towards the Kaman post.

However, the exact number of passengers travelling to the other side will be known in the afternoon, the source said. Similarly, the passengers travelling from PoK will also be known in the evening.

The bus has helped thousands of families, divided in 1947 due to partition, meet each other after India and Pakistan agreed to allow travel of state subject from both sides to undertake the journey on Travel Permits instead of International Passport since April 7, 2005.