Srinagar:
The stand-off between India and Pakistan over the truckers issue entered the fourth day on Monday with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) authorities suspending cross-LoC (Line of Control) bus services demanding release of a Pakistani driver arrested by Indian authorities on charges of smuggling drugs worth Rs 100 cr.
PoK's Director General of Trade, a retired army officer, during a meeting with Jammu and Kashmir government officials for breaking the deadlock over the arrest of the driver, made a surprise claim that the driver enjoyed diplomatic immunity and should be released immediately.
Tension mounted at the Kaman post area in North Kashmir when police on Friday detained a truck carrying 114 packets of brown sugar, valued at Rs 100 crore in international market and arrested the driver along with two more people from Bandipore who were to receive the consignment.
In a tit-for-tat action, authorities in PoK detained 27 Indian truck drivers and demanded release of their driver.
The deadlock intensified when authorities in Kashmir were informed by the PoK about suspension of bus service on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road.
"We were informed by PoK authorities that Karavan-e-Aman (Peace Caravan) bus service shall remain suspended today (Monday). No reasons were assigned," Regional Passport Officer Firdous Iqbal told PTI.
While one driver has been arrested, 48 other drivers from PoK are also stranded at Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre since the stand-off began last week.
Officials from the External Affairs and Home ministries are coordinating efforts with the state government for ending the impasse and ensuring safe return of Indian drivers - 12 of whom were from Baramulla and Uri, eight from Srinagar and others from Shopian, Kulgam and South Kashmir.
Divisional Commissioner (Kashmir) Shailendra Kumar told reporters in Srinagar that the PoK authorities "surprisingly conveyed that under the (cross-LoC) pact, these people have diplomatic immunity. We asked for the documents which provide diplomatic immunity even to drivers."
Kumar said PoK authorities were asking for release of the driver and return of the seized narcotics.
"We explained to them that it is not possible as a case has been registered and a judicial process has to be followed. We cannot return them without a trial," the Divisional Commissioner said.
Kumar said the the PoK authorities were requested to take up the matter with their higher ups as "we are going to follow the law of land in this case".
"We have also requested the state government to take up the matter with the Centre. We are hopeful some progress will be made in next couple of days," he said.
"As per the law, possession of narcotic substance - whether by a local or a foreigner - is banned and illegal," he said.
There was no information to suggest involvement of the government across the LoC in smuggling of narcotics to Kashmir but "we have to be careful. These substances can be used to target our youths", Kumar said.
"It is a signal for us to remain vigilant. We need truck scanners to help in detection of illegal substances without unloading goods."
It is unlikely that cross LoC trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route will commence on Tuesday in view of the ongoing row. While the Karavan-e-Aman Bus Service runs on weekly basis, the cross LoC trade is conducted from Tuesday to Friday every week.
The passenger bus service was started in April 2005, while the trade began in October 2008.