Karvan-e-Aman bus suspended for security reasons

Srinagar, Oct 8: The Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) was on Monday suspended for security reasons following a strike called by separatists, when first of the four phase polling will be held in 57 Municipal Committee and Municipal Corporation spread over six districts in the valley.

The weekly cross-Line of Control (LoC) bus will not operate on Monday, official sources told TNN.

They said authorities across the LoC were also informed about the decision not to operate the bus for security reasons as the bus had to pass through Baramulla, where 15 wards of Municipal Committee are going to polls.

Similarly, sources said passengers who were scheduled to travel from here to PoK were also informed accordingly.

The passengers from both sides will be accommodated in next weekly bus, sources said.

The bus introduced on April 7, 2005 despite threat by militants, has helped thousands of families, divided due to partition in 1947, to meet each other after India and Pakistan agreed to allow state subjects from both sides of the LoC to travel on “ Travel Permits” instead of International Passports.

However, people are allowed to travel only after intelligence agencies from both the countries clear their names.