Tensions high between India and Pakistan near border | Fusion - WeRIndia

Pakistan has once again conducted an unprovoked ceasefire violation using armed force in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

To counter this move by Pakistani security forces, India announced that all cross-border trade and bus services along the line of Control with Pakistan is being terminated.

Due to the violent firing from Pakistan, there was a lot of damage to the Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) at Chaka-da-Bagh.

Not only that, Pakistani authorities didn’t give permission to enter for traders with truck filled with goods reached the entry point at Chaka-Da-Bagh. This caused the trucks to return back to India without successful trade.

To counter this move, India has taken the strong decision to terminate trade. The bus service from Poonch to Rawalakot in Pakistan occupied Kashmir was also terminated immediately.

Experts say that the chances of trade being resumed again in a day or two is unlikely.

Pakistan’s unprovoked ceasefire violation lasted for more than two days! There was heavy firing using various weapons including 82 mm mortar bombs. Small and automatic weapons were also used on army posts and civilian areas on Indian side.

After Indian troops gave a retaliatory message, the firing came to a halt on Monday.

The stoppage of trade and bus services gave a stern message to Pakistan. An army officer reported that only after the strong retaliation did the ceasefire violation stop.

The trade was started in 2008, along the Line of Control. It was a mutual agreement by both countries. It allowed 20 trucks to be able to cross over both sides between Tuesdays and Fridays every week.

Even since the agreement, it was highly dependent on the relations between the countries. Back in August 2016, Pakistan suspended trading activities for no reason. On November 2, 2016, the Karvan-e-Aman Bus Service was also suspended after high tensions.

Image credit: India-Pakistan Border at Night image by  NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Image Reference: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/21348024973/