India suspends cross-LoC trade with Pakistan

New Delhi: Hardening its stand against Pakistan, India on Thursday indefinitely suspended cross-LoC trade at two points along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir effective Friday, following reports that it was being “misused” by elements from across the border to smuggle weapons, narcotics and fake currency.

In an official statement, the home ministry said orders have been issued for halting the trade at Salamabad of Baramulla in the Kashmir region, and Chakkan-da-Bagh of Poonch district in the Jammu region, after reports of very large scale “misuse” of the cross-LoC trade.

Immediately after the announcement, political parties in Jammu and Kashmir termed it an “election gimmick”.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah said, “All these years, we have been pressing for a whole-body truck scanner. Instead of going for that, they have shut down the trade completely”.  Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “This is purely an election gimmick. The BJP is desperately looking at further polarising the Lok Sabha elections.”