Impasse ends, LoC trade to resume soon

Almost a month after the seizure of a drug consignment led to a standoff between India and Pakistan, both countries sent back trucks stranded on both sides of the LoC, on Wednesday evening.

Almost a month after the seizure of a drug consignment led to a standoff between India and Pakistan, both countries sent back trucks stranded on both sides of the LoC, on Wednesday evening.

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All truckers have crossed over to their respective territories. Intense negotiations between the two sides led to the decision, officials said.

Pakistan, officials said, had agreed to not insist upon the release of the driver apprehended with Rs 100 crore worth brown sugar.

READ: LoC standoff: meeting on resuming cross-border trade ends in stalemate

"The crossing over has taken place. Trade will hopefully resume in some days," said Shailendar Kumar, divisional commissioner of Kashmir.
The arrested driver’s bail application would come up for hearing at a Kashmir court on February 15.

The standoff started on January 17 when Indian authorities recovered 114 packets of brown sugar hidden in a truck that had come with goods from Muzaffarabad to Salamabad.