By: Ravi Nitesh
Published: http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-line-of-control-to-line-of-commerce-and-connections-2489802
With
the present skirmishes across the Line of Control (LoC), it was recently
reported that cross-LoC trade was stopped for two days on the Poonch-Rawalkot
route. However, the same was resumed after the two sides talked.
This
resumption of trade after a short halt is not new for LoC trade. Disturbances,
ceasefire violations, and severe border skirmishes happen there, but LoC trade
continues.
In
fact, India and Pakistan have remained connected through trade trucks even in difficult
times when all other mediums, including dialogues, were stopped. This reflects
the huge potential of cross-border trade in terms of its capability to be
utilised as one of the most important tools for not only economic purposes, but
also for peace-building and confidence-building at one of the most sensitive
military deployment lines in South Asia.
Probably
this was what leaders on both sides had envisioned years ago. When India and
Pakistan engaged in the peace process, many confidence-building measures were
taken, including initiating bus service across the LoC in 2005, and later the
opening of two routes (Poonch-Rawalkot and Uri-Muzaffarabad) in 2008.
The
success of the opening of these routes can be estimated from the trade figures.
In the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2016, it was stated that during the last
three years (till January 2016), there had been trade of approximately Rs 2,800
crore. In another report, the figure touched more than Rs 3,500 crore till
December 2016.
LoC
trades are duty-free. But these trades are not immune. National Investigation
Agency claims that trade may be used to fund terror activities in J&K.
There
is a proposal for full-body truck scanners, which was actively demanded after
recovery of arms and drugs from trucks in 2014. After the drugs recovery, trade
was suspended for a few weeks. But the traders had opposed it. They argued that
only the accused be punished, and not the whole system.
It
must be noted that while this cross-LoC trade has many restrictions and difficulties
— such as unavailability of easy communication medium, banking system, and a
legal framework — it has, nonetheless, sustained despite all the ups and downs
in relation to India and Pakistan since 2008 and even during curfews in
J&K.
Even
amid the present tension, trade sustained through these LoC routes. Trade has
impacted the livelihood of people on both sides more than any other measures.
There
are more routes being demanded by people across the LoC, such as
Chumb-Pallanwala on the Bhimber-Jammu side, Jammu-Sialkot, Kargil-Skardu,
Khuiratta- Nowshera on the Kotli-Rajouri side, Nowshera-Jhangar, and others.
Opening
more such routes with better facilities would be beneficial for both trade and
confidence-building. Leaders on both sides have expressed their faith in
conflict-resolution through sustained relations and dialogues. This positivity
brings hope.
While
LoC expands to Line of Control due to the heavy deployment of the armies of
India and Pakistan, people across the line are attached through the same. We
need to understand the importance of this, and recognise LoC as Line of
Commerce, Connection and Confidence.
The author is the founder of
Aaghaz-e-Dosti (an Indo-Pak friendship initiative)
