Headway on LoC: 1st Passage-point gets Open in Kashmir  
By Mumtaz Hamid Rao - PakistanTimes.net Editor & Special Correspondent

LINE OF CONTROL [LoC]: The first passage-point on the Line of Control [LoC] was been set opened in the Himalayan State of Jammu & Kashmir aiming to facilitate earthquake-victims’ relief works on Monday.

A formal ceremony held here to mark this historical event was attended by the concerned officials of both Pakistan and India and a large number of people drawn from the two-sides of the Line of Control.

Following this formal inauguration, two trucks loaded with relief goods reached each at Chak Dabagh in held-Kashmir and Azad Kashmir.

These relief goods packed in bags were inter-changed from one truck to the other—one meant for the quake-victims of India held-Kashmir from the people of Azad Kashmir and the other from the people of held-Kashmir to the victims of Azad Kashmir.

Pakistan and India opened the LoC in Kashmir for earthquake relief, but police had to fire tear gas to disperse protesters who were banned from taking part in the symbolic crossing.

The nuclear rivals exchanged tents, food and medical supplies after officials from the two sides met and shook hands across the heavily militarised Line of Control [LoC].

"This is a huge day in the history of both Kashmir and the subcontinent," said Sardar Mohammed Farooq, the deputy commissioner of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir.

Kashmiris themselves were not allowed to cross the LoC to check on family members after the October-8 disaster because the two sides had failed to exchange lists of names.

Hundreds of angry Kashmiri villagers surged towards the the LoC, and police launched tear gas shells and let off volleys of automatic gunfire in the air to hold back the crowd.

Two men and two children who tried to run across a recently cleared minefield towards the LoC were tackled by police and bundled into a van.

Complaints

The outbreak of unrest during what was meant to be a carefully choreographed ceremony highlighted complaints that they have not been able to see relatives for decades.

Indian officials said they were sending 25 truckloads of relief goods to Azad Kashmir, the area worst hit by the October 8 quake, which killed more than 80,000 people including tents, tarpaulins, food and medicine.

White tape had earlier been laid along the LoC at the crossing at the town of Titrinote in Azad Kashmir and Chakan da Bagh in the India held-Kashmir and both sides had laid out red carpets.

A sign on the eve read, "We have not opened the LoC, we have opened hearts."

Civilians may be able to cross by November 14, said B.R. Sharma, divisional commissioner for the Jammu district of India held-Kashmir. "It's definitely a very historic and very important moment," he told reporters.

More Points

At least two more crossing points along the frontier are due to open within the next week, but it is still unclear when all five of the points proposed last month by President Pervez Musharraf will open.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said many Kashmiris were unaware of the procedures to cross the frontier. "Because of the widespread devastation the information about crossing procedures took some time to trickle down," ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

"Lots of people did not realise that they would require application forms and clearances to be able to cross over," she said.  "That is why not many people applied for permission to cross over. Instead they just walked up to the Line of Control to that point to go over."

In Muzaffarabad many people gathered outside the administration office to get application forms for permits, but only 50 received them, local official Liaqat Naqvi said.

Kashmir has been at the core of the half-century of strained relations between India and Pakistan and has caused two of their three wars since independence from Britain in 1947.

Increasing contact between peoples was one of the key confidence-building measures agreed by India and Pakistan when they launched their slow-moving peace process in January 2004.

In April the two sides allowed the first official opening of the Line of Control by starting a fortnightly bus service to reunite the families in the Himalayan State of Jammu & Kashmir.

In-depth

Pakistan has reiterated its proposal that Kashmiris should be allowed to cross over to both sides of the Line of Control without hindrance and cumbersome procedure.

Responding to questions at the weekly news briefing Monday afternoon, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said in order to facilitate Kashmiris to meet and help each other following devastating earthquake, Pakistan had originally proposed to allow all Kashmiris who have any valid identity or certificate from the authorities.

She, however, said India did not agree to it and finally it was decided to adopt the procedure followed for Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service.

She pointed out that perhaps the exact information took time to trickle down and a number of people gathered at the LoC just to walk across without required application forms and clearance.

She said Pakistan has not received any list of people wishing to enter Azad Kashmir and whenever these are received, we will process applications expeditiously.

Responding to a query the spokesperson said according to the understanding five points opening would be meant for Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC and not for nationals of Pakistan and India.

Similarly, she said there was no agreement to allow trucks to cross over. The agreement was aimed at facilitating people to cross and meet each other. As for relief goods, these are to be handed over to the local authorities at these points for onward distribution.

The spokesperson clarified that only one point of crossing could be operationalzed today because Indians were unable to complete logistic arrangements for opening of others.

She said Pakistan has been informed that the Orri point would be opened on Wednesday, Teetwal on Thursday and arrangements for others would be made as soon as possible.

She clarified that even those who have availed the bus service will have to go through formalities again if they wish to undertake travel to the other side.

To a question she said the world community is assisting us generously through relief phase and hoped that its interest would sustain the subsequent phase of reconstruction.

When her attention was drawn to reports that the scale of devastation in Occupied Kashmir was much more but Indians were  sitting over the situation to punish the Muslim population, the spokesperson said Pakistan is actively engaged in providing relief to earthquake victims on this side. She hoped same would be done on the other side.

Replying to a question the Foreign Office spokesperson condemned publication of a sacrilegious cartoon by a Dutch newspaper. She said the OIC has taken a very strong position on the issue and Muslim ambassadors have been making joint demarches to the Dutch Government.

She said Pakistan’s permanent representative in Geneva, who is chairing an OIC coordinating committee, has addressed a letter to the UN Rapporteur. She said we are also talking to Dutch media and authorities.

The spokesperson regretted that Islam phobia and acts of this nature create a divide between religions, which we are making every effort to bridge. She said the Dutch Government realises that this was totally uncalled for act and an insult to over a billion Muslims.

Perspective

To recap related story on the topic, as was reported by Pakistan's first independent daily E-newspaper, 'PakistanTimes.net' in its edition of Monday, Nov-7, Click here;

http://pakistantimes.net/2005/11/07/top.htm●