Thaindian News

By F. Ahmed
Srinagar, Sep 12 (IANS) When trade across the Indian and Pakistani sides of Kashmir resumed after a gap of nearly 60 years, there was euphoria. Almost a year on, business has soared, touching Rs.26.30 crore (over $5.2 million), but many are disheartened with the “medieval exchange” of goods.

Businessmen on this side of the Line of Control (LoC) - the ceasefire line that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan - point out that the goods are being bartered, with no money changing hands and both sides evaluating the products solely in terms of their own currencies.

“We actually do not know how this trade will continue in the absence of banking and other modern trade facilities. There is no telephonic communication and no squaring up of accounts between us and the traders in Muzaffarabad (in Pakistan-administered Kashmir),” a trader here told IANS on condition of anonymity.

“We send goods across valued as per the cost in Indian rupees and the traders from Muzaffarabad send their goods as per the value in Pakistani currency.

“Whether or not our exports are accurately balanced by the goods we receive in exchange is not known to us,” the trader said.

According to the custodian of the Salamabad trade facilitation centre, near north Kashmir’s Uri town in Baramulla district, so far 766 trucks have gone across the Kashmir Valley to Muzaffarabad and 976 trucks have come here from across the LoC with trade consignments.

“The exports from our side were valued at Rs.12.13 crore while the imports stood at Rs.14.17 crore till the end of last month,” a communication to the government by the custodian of the trans LoC trade said.

This trade had stopped in 1947 because of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the tribal invasion of the valley when finally Kashmir acceded to India and got divided between Indian and Pakistan administered parts.

It was restarted Oct 21, 2008, as part of confidence building measures between India and Pakistan and was inaugurated by state Governor N.N. Vohra amid much fanfare.

Gulam Rasool, 54, a local fruit trader, was one of those full of expectations and nostalgia when he sent his fruit consignment to Muzaffarabad as part of the first convoy that went across the LoC.

“My father did all his trading of fruit with traders in Muzaffarabad. Those were good old days and my father would tell me stories of his visits there. All goods were carried to and fro on bullock carts and the sound of bells tied around the necks of the bullocks would announce that the convoy of goods had reached from there to the valley.

But like many others, he too is a disappointed man.

“I have stopped sending my fruit produce to Muzaffarabad as I have so far received nothing for my earlier consignments,” he lamented.

Mostly, peshawari leather slippers, dates, dry fruit, onions, garlic, pulses, carpets and prayer mats are imported into the valley from Muzaffarabad while fruits, handicrafts and vegetables are the main items of exports from here.

But many fruit traders like Rasool who sent their products across the LoC from the valley complain they have not received anything from Muzaffarabad in exchange.

(F. Ahmed can be contacted at f.ahmed@ians.in)