SRINAGAR: Notwithstanding heightening tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Sunday’s deadly terror attack at an Army base in Uri, the cross-LoC peace bus between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad plied as per schedule on Monday.
The bus with eight passengers on board left Srinagar at about 6 am and reached the Salamabad transit point in Uri at 9.30 am before they could cross over to the other side of the de facto border after completing immigration and custom formalities.
It may be noted that Salamabad is located at a few kilometers from the Army’s 12 Infantry Brigade headquarters which came under the sneak militant attack a day ago, leaving 18 soldiers dead and over 20 wounded.
Of the eight passengers, three were residents of Kashmir Valley who went across to meet their relatives whereas the remaining five were those from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir who returned home after spending a couple of weeks with their relatives in the Valley, officials said.
The ‘Karvan-e-Aman’ or the Caravan of Peace is a weekly bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad which began in April 2005 as a “major” confidence-building-measure between India and Pakistan.
The Uri-Chakoti corridor like Poonch-Rawlakot crossing point in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir is used for both travel and trade services between the two sides. End it
Meanwhile, demanding concrete and decisive action following the Uri terror attack, VHP chief Pravin Togadia said the bodies of terrorists should not be buried but burnt on a heap of garbage in public view. He also sought that dialogue with Pakistan at all levels should be called off while trade agreements, including water treaty should be cancelled.
Avoid Nehru’s mistakes: Shankaracharya
Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati on Monday cautioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to commit the mistake of taking a leaf from Nehru’s China policy while dealing with Pakistan.
“India has paid a heavy price for the Panchsheel treaty by Nehru. PM is repeating the same mistakes by making friendly overtures to Pakistan. “We hoped the PM would review the flawed policies pursued by the Manmohan government towards Kashmir and Pakistan and frame the right foreign policy basis of which should be interest of India” the Shankaracharya said.
“The present mess in Kashmir and recent two major terrorist attacks on army bases in Jammu and Kashmir are reflections of failure of diplomacy by the Centre. Hence, the PM should now focus on preparing the country psychologically and militarily for war with Pakistan instead of moving around the world on diplomatic missions,” he said.
