The traders of divided Jammu and Kashmir concluded the two-day meet in Dubai where they pitched for opening more trade routes on Line of Control, inclusion of more tradable items in the list and easing travel and banking facilities for the trade.
The trade leaders met in Dubai for two days on December 16 and December 17 to discuss the problems being faced in the trade.Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mushtaq Wani who attended the meeting said that the business leaders from both the sides welcomed the thaw in Indo-Pak relations and beginning of dialogue process.
He said traders raised the demands of communication, banking facilities, customs, travel, multi-entry permit for traders.
Since the LoC trade started in 2008, absence of these facilities has been main hindrance in smooth flow of trade commodities and transaction of business.
From this side, President Kashmir Traders Federation and Chairman KEA Mohammad Yasin Khan, President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries Mushtaq Ahmad Wani, President Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir and General Secretary of Cross LoC Traders Federation Hilal Turkey, President Cross LoC Trade Chakan da Bagh Pawan Anand, President Joint Chamber of Commerce Prakash Gupta and former LoC traders president Y V Sharma attended the meeting.
From Pakistan-administered-Kashmir Zulfkar Abbasi, Mahmood Dar, Sardar Kareem, Kashif Ahmad, Sardar Tanveer Ahmad, Deputy Speaker Assembly Dr. Shaheena Kausar Dar participated in the meeting.
It is for the first time that top officials of India and Pakistan are meeting with the traders of Jammu and Kashmir to discuss problems being faced by the traders of the state.
Before the traders left for Dubai, in Delhi they met PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, former GOC 15 Corps Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, retired Marshal Kapil Tak, World Bank representative Dr Sanjay, where they all welcomed the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan.
