India-Pakistan cross-border trade resumes

Poonch: Cross-border trade between India and Pakistan resumed yesterday after remaining suspended over widespread unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The trade route between Poonch in India and Rawalakot in Pakistan was shut down on August 3 for the second time within a fortnight after massive protests erupted across PoK against alleged rigging in recent elections.

"Trade remained suspended for at least two weeks because of some internal crisis in PoK. Trade finally resumed today. Ten vehicles have crossed from our side and more than 20 are coming from their end," said Mohammad Tanvir, custodian at Chakan da Bagh trade facilitation centre in Poonch.

PoK witnessed violent protests over the July 21 elections, which agitators claimed were rigged by the winning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.Cross-LoC trade, which started in 2008, has often been suspended due to animosity between India and Kashmir.