ISLAMABAD - Working Group of Pakistan and India on cross LoC CBMs will meet here on Thursday (today) to discuss Confidence Building Measures to facilitate travel and trade across the Line of Control.
The meeting will take place in pursuance of the decision taken at Foreign Secretary level talks on Peace and Security including CBMs‚ Jammu and Kashmir and Friendly Exchanges held in New Delhi earlier this month.
Pakistan delegation will be headed by Director General (South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ms. Zehra Akbari‚ ‚ while the Indian side will be led by Joint Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs Y. K. Sinha.
Pakistan is taking steps toward normal trade and travel ties with India and agreed to open most commerce with its larger neighbour in the latest sign of a thaw in relations between the nuclear-armed rivals.
At present, two buses take people between the LoC: Muzaffarabad-Srinagar and Rawalakot-Poonch.
However, Kashmiris intending to travel across the divided territory face a daunting task to receive a travel permit.
The Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service was launched in April 2005 as part of efforts by the two neighbours to create favourable conditions for a resolution of the decades-old Kashmir issue.
In January 2006, both countries agreed to start another bus service, linking Poonch and Rawalakot, which was launched in June of that year. By 2008, the two routes were running every week.