The scheduled cross-Line of Control (LoC) bus service between Poonch and Rawalakot city of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) was suspended on Monday by the authorities in the wake of firing and shelling, officials in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) said.
The shelling damaged the two-storey administrative block of the Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) and the barracks of the security forces at the Chakan-Da-Bagh, which is the point for the bus crossing and the trade exchange at the LoC.
The officials said that there has been shelling overnight and the bus service has been suspended as a precautionary measure. In 2006, the bus service was started to enable the divided families on both sides of the Line of Control to re-connect with each other.
The cross-LoC trade and travel, both twice a week, are considered as major confidence building measures between Pakistan and India, as the South Asian neighbours agreed to facilitate travel between the two parts of the disputed state by providing entry permits to divided Kashmiri families to travel across the Line of Control.
The Poonch-Rawalakot bus service was started on June 20, 2006 through Tatrinote and Chakan Da Bagh point. On the first day, a total of 87 persons crossed the Chakan Da Bagh point on foot after coming on board the two buses on either side.