Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah criticised the Centre’s decision to suspended trade between two parts of Kashmir, saying that the Modi government has “buried another era CBM”.
“The Modi Govt buries another of the Vajpayee era CBMs. Cross LoC trade was a legacy of the Vajpayee Govt decision to facilitate greater people to people contact across the Line of Control in J&K,” tweeted Omar.
“That the LoC trade may have been used by some traders for illegal activities was suspected for years now & it was to plug this that the state has been pleading for the installation of full truck scanners at the trade points,” he said in another tweet.
“Rather than install the scanners the Govt has taken the regressive & highly unfortunate step of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Instead of saving the CBM they’ve decided to abandon it.”
“Sadly Vajpayee Sahib’s legacy of cross LoC CBMs & the resolution of the Kashmir issue within the framework of “insaniyat, jumhuriyat & Kashmiriyat” is being sacrificed at the alter (sic) of opportunistic populism.”
Union Home Ministry on Thursday ordered the suspension of cross-LoC trade between parts of divided Kashmir via Salamabad (Uri) and Chakan-da-Bagh (Poonch) routes.
“The Govt of India has received reports that cross LoC trade routes being misused by Pakistan based elements. The misuse involves illegal inflows of weapons, narcotics & fake currency etc,” said the MHA, in an order.
It said the cross-LoC trade mechanism is therefore suspended till a stricter regulatory regime is put in place. “This is to ensire that only bonafide trade takes place, for the benefit of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, through this mechanism,” it said.
The suspension, according to the order, will come into effect from April 19, 2019.