The weekly cross-LoC trade on Poonch-Rawlakot route had suffered badly due to five weeks suspension, as it recorded just Rs 30.6 million on two days this week against Rs 90 million to Rs 100 million prior to suspension, official sources revealed.
The sources told APP here on Thursday, "during Tuesday and Wednesday this week, the days fixed for weekly trade, supplies of the permitted items from Indian occupied Kashmir to AJK has sharply come down to Rs 8.5 million while supplies from AJK stood at Rs 20.8 million."
"Only three trucks reached Rawlakot from occupied Poonch on Wednesday against allotted quota of 25 trucks a day. The Kashmiri traders from both sides are demanding that number of trucks allowed for trade should be raised to 40 to 50 trucks a day from either side," the sources said. Official reports said only 16 trucks on Wednesday exchanged sides from cross-LoC Chakan-Da-Bagh point on Poonch-Rawlakote route. Prior to five weeks suspension of trade, which was resumed last week, 50 trucks were exchanging sides on a day.
On Tuesday also, only 40 trucks crossed sides through Taitrinote-Chakan-Da-Bagh entry point. Though official sources and the traders were unable to give a reason for a steep fall in cross-LoC trade, reports said some traders on both sides had become apprehensive about continuance of trade especially after prolonged disturbances in the Indian-held Kashmir valley and five weeks suspension.
Three trucks reached from occupied Poonch on Wednesday morning carrying coconut and red chilly worth Rs 1.3 million. Thirteen trucks, which left for occupied Poonch from AJK, contained almonds, clothes, dry fruits, herbs and Peshawari sandals having a price of Rs 10.2 million, the sources said.
On Tuesday items worth Rs 7.2 million were exported by the traders of occupied Jammu to Rawlakot while imports were valued at Rs 10.6 million. Prior to suspension of cross-LoC trade by the businessmen of this side for five weeks, the weekly trade between two parts of divided State had been hovering between Rs 90 to Rs 100 million.
The trade was suspended after a sudden ban imposed on import of "Ajwain" by the Trade Facilitation Authorities of this side on the ground that it was not part of 21 categories of items approved for import-export on cross-LoC route. Later, the traders added some more demands to their list and finally resumed the business last week after the authorities assured to consider their demands.