India, Pakistan willing to restore trade link via J&K: Azad
New Kerala
Kaman Post (J&K), Feb 20: India and Pakistan were willing to restore trade links via Jammu and Kashmir within next two months, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said today.
Both countries, during the recent foreign secretary-level meeting, have expressed desire to resume trade via Kaman and Chaken-de-bagh checkposts in the state within March-April, he told reporters after inaugurating the re-launched Baiely bridge connecting Srinagar with Muzaffarabad here.
He said the Centre was very keen to start trade links so that the road being used by those visiting their relatives here or in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) would also be utilized for trade and commerce.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is very enthusiastic to promote trade with Pakistan through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, he said, adding this link will also promote dry fruit and handicraft trade in the valley.
“Our priority is that trade between the two countries grow,” he said, adding this link would open new doors for people of both the countries.
About modalities for resumption of trade, Azad said “we have identified the items to be exported. Once you identify the items, I dont think there will be any problem”.
However, the chief minister said there was an urgent need to to create infrastructure for resumption of the trade between the two countries adding the basic infrastructure for this purpose will have to be constructed soon in Uri.
At Chaken-de-bagh in Poonch out of 13 km, nine kilometers road has already been mettled and remaining four will be completed in next two months, he said, adding permanent infrastructure like customs, tourist huts, cafetria etc is needed there also.
