PoK Assembly’s no to non-Kashmiris’ travel by bus
PAKISTAN-occupied Kashmir’s Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution opposing travel by non-Kashmiris on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, scheduled to run from April seven. In the resolution, the PoK Legislative Assembly yesterday demanded that the visits by other citizens of India and Pakistan to either country should take place by normal routes using passports and visas.
It said the bus travel by non-Kashmiri Indians and Pakistanis could cause certain complications, such as creating an by peace bus impression that the LoC could be regularised as border. The Assembly also demanded that no immigration office be set up in PoK for people coming from India. The resolution, moved by the head of the ruling Muslim Conference Abdul Qayyum Khan, however, welcomed the initiation of the bus service and wanted it started as scheduled. It also demanded opening four more old routes connecting both parts of Kashmir for travel.
‘‘This house specifically urged the government of Pakistan not to agree to any proposals aimed at splitting Kashmir,’’ the resolution said. Reacting to the resolution, Pakistan foreign office clarified that the bus service would also be available to non-Kashmiris from India and Pakistan.
Related Travel Information
Britain has reiterated its advisory against travel to Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of yesterday's car bomb explosion at Pulwama in South Kashmir, in which 21 people were killed and over 120 injured.
"The UK already strongly advises against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir (with the exceptions of Ladakh via Manali or air to Leh) due to ongoing militant violence. I reiterate that advice today," a British high commission release quoted Dr Kim Howells, UK Foreign Office Minister responsible for South Asia, as saying.
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Italy is considering the withdrawal of an advisory warning its citizens against visiting Jammu and Kashmir, the Italian envoy indicated here Thursday.
Italian Ambassador Antonio Armellini gave this indication during a meeting here with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.
The proposed move by Italy, an official spokesman said, followed an "improvement in the situation" in Kashmir and "consistent efforts by Chief Minister Sayeed to have such advisories withdrawn".
Armellini is in the state on a five-day visit.
The spokesman said the ambassador showed keen interest in tourism and inquired about facilities and infrastructure available for travellers in the Kashmir Valley.
Armellini also sought information about
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India yesterday said it had received the application of controversial Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed for travelling to Jammu and Kashmir by the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus.
"We have received the application which will be processed in due course," an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said in reply to questions.
The spokesman comment came following reports from Islamabad which said Pakistani officials had forwarded to the Indian authorities the name of Sheikh Rashid, who intends to visit Srinagar on June 30 amid signals that he might be denied the travel permit.
"This is a test case for India, which claims the
Only Kashmiris should travel by bus service
In a special party Majlis-e-Shura meeting on Thursday, Jamaat-e-Islami adopted many resolutions that stated bus service is not a substitute to the self-determination right of more than 12 million Kashmiris who are struggling to rid of Indian occupation to live freely.
The party asked the Pakistani government to benefit from the service and pressure India in resolving the conflict in line with the aspirations of Kashmiri people.
Jamaat-e-Islami said the bus service facility should not be limited to Muzaffarabad and Srinagar and other land routes linking Indian and Pakistani controlled Kashmir territories should also
