E-Paper
Triple entry permits for Kashmiris across LOC
Now Kashmiris who have families across the LOC will now not need to renew their entry permits everytime they want to cross over.
Now Kashmiris who have families across the LOC will now not need to renew their entry permits everytime they want to cross over.
The two countries have agreed to provide a triple entry permit, which would allow them to travel to either part of the Kashmir thrice in one year. The entry can be through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkoot bus services. The decision has been taken keeping in view the divided Kashmiri families on either sides of the Line of Control (LoC) as they will not be required to get clearance everytime they travel.
"Government of India had started giving the permits in June itself but Pakistan was not accepting the permits," said an official in Srinagar who did not want to be named.
According to sources Pakistan has started issuing travel permits only this month.
"Pakistan started doing this on December 9, 2010, so now we have many families who are traveling with the triple entry visa," the official added.
Srinagar –Muzaffarabad bus had reached Srinagar on December 23, 2010 and many passengers came with triple entry permits.
Since April 2005, when the first cross LOC bus started plying, 9,206 Kashmiri have traveled from Pak Occupied Kashmir to Jammu and Kashmir, while 6, 205 people the state have traveled to the other side.
