Legislative Assembly members Wednesday pitched for opening of more routes on Line of Control to give fillip to trade, while resenting that the trade across Uri-Muzaffarabad is not going on as per it was desired by former chief minister later Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.While speaking during the discussion on allocation of grants for Industries and Commerce Department, PDP MLA from Sonawar, Muhammad Ashraf Mir, said that the cross LoC trade on Uri-Muzaffarabad road was a dream of late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed when he started it in 2002.“But I say with regret that his dream is yet to be realised. The trade was not followed seriously,” Mir said.Mir said that the trade is not benefiting the traders and the people of the state as whole. He said that the trade has been confined to few tradable items.“Products like carpet which is manufactured in Kashmir should be included in list of items so that maximum number of people are involved,” he said, adding, “Banking facilities should be provided to the traders.”
“The barter system through which the traded one is hampering trade, rather than benefiting it,” the PDP legislator said.Peoples Conference MLA Kupwara Bashir Ahmad Dar said that said that the LoC trade was going through major hurdles created at the administrative level.“The concerned officer posted by the government for the trade does not attend the office regularly,” Dar said, adding “no new license is being issued to add more traders to it. As a result trade is confined to a less number of traders,” he said.The MLA from Kupwara said that more routes along Kupwara border should be opened for carrying out trade across.Congress MLA from Kargil, Asgar Ali Karbalie, said that Kargil-Skardu route should be opened for trade. “This route will facilitate trade with central Asia and China,” he said.Deputy Speaker and NC MLA from Gurez, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, said that Gilgit-Gurez route too should be opened for trade.Chief Minster Mehbooba Mufti had on Monday informed the Upper House that Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkote, Turtuk-Khapulu, Chhamb-Jorian to Mirpur (across MunawarTawi), Gurez-Astoor-Gilgit, Titwal-Chilhan (across Neelam Valley), Jhangar (Nowshera)–Mirpur routes were recommended for their opening. (KNS)