Indo-Pak officials hold talks on new CBMs

The launch of a bus between Poonch and Rawalakot is also on the agenda.

Officials of India and Pakistan met in New Delhi on Tuesday to finalise new confidence building measures (CBMs), including launch of cross-LoC truck service on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and operationalisation of two meeting points along the Line of Control.

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The launch of a bus service between Poonch and Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is also on the agenda of the two-day official-level talks.

The Indian delegation is led by Dilip Sinha, Joint Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry, while Pakistani side is headed by Syed Ibne Abbas, Director General South Asia Division at the Foreign Ministry.

As part of promoting trade, the two sides are aiming to work out modalities for starting a truck service on the Srinagar-Muzzafarabad route which is expected to primarily benefit the people of the state.

A bus service on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route was launched by the two sides in April last year.

The launch of the truck service along with the start of bus service between Poonch and Rawalakote and operationalisation of meeting points at two designated points along the LoC were agreed in principle in earlier talks and both sides are expected to finalise modalities at the two-day parleys.

An effort would be made to implement the proposals at the earliest possible.