Srinagar:
The cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade remained suspended for the third day in the Kashmir valley today as the stalemate continued over the arrest of a Pakistani driver by Indian authorities in connection with the smuggling of brown sugar last week.
No vehicle carrying goods passed the 'Aman Sethu', the bridge dividing the two parts of Kashmir, in Uri sector of north Kashmir, official sources said.
The three-day trade usually takes place from Tuesday to Friday. But the recent arrest of a Pakistani driver after the recovery of over 100 kgs of brown sugar from his truck led to the suspension of the trade and travel.
The weekly bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad was suspended after Pakistani authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) did not allow its operation on Monday, 20th January.
The move is apparently a pressure tactic by the PoK authorities who are seeking release of the driver and his vehicle from which 114 packets of brown sugar, valued at Rs 100 crore in international market, were recovered last week.
The PoK authorities have detained 27 trucks and drivers of these vehicles at Chakoti across the LoC since Friday following recovery of the drugs on this side.
While one driver has been arrested, 48 other drivers from PoK are also stranded at Salamabad Trade facilitation Centre since the stand-off began.
The passenger bus service was started in April 2005 while the trade began in October 2008.