line-of-controlISLAMABAD: The governments of Pakistan and India have agreed to increase frequency of cross-LoC trade and bus service on both Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes in Jammu and Kashmir.

The two countries also agreed to open bank branches on both sides of the LoC to do away with barter system of trade, increase fixed telephone lines for communication link between the people of two parts of Kashmir and introduce trade permits for businessmen to facilitate their travel across the Line of Control (LoC), Kashmir Media Service reported.

The trade, which is presently confined to two days on the both cross-LoC routes, is being increased to four days a week.

Both the governments had directed the officials engaged in the cross-LoC trade to raise necessary infrastructure and increase other facilities for raising number of days of the trade on the two routes of Kashmir and Jammu regions.

While both sides have unanimously agreed to increase days of weekly bus service on Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes to two, the days would formally be increased when number of people intending to cross-LoC goes up considerably.

Earlier, the bus between two cross-LoC routes used to ply every fortnightly but later it was converted into weekly.

At present, only 21 items have been approved for the trade.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011

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